


Summer Nights

by accidentaltsundere



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance, Childhood Friends, Cuban Lance, Depression mentions, Keith has a motorcycle, Keith has asthma, Korean Keith, M/M, Orphan Keith (Voltron), Texas, also keith is adopted, and very gay, anxiety mentions, klance, lots of references to space, summer time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-10-18 01:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10606758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/accidentaltsundere/pseuds/accidentaltsundere
Summary: It's summertime, Keith almost dies, and two childhood friends have no idea how to handle their new feelings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (((Just some Klance trash I wrote out of boredom pls don't judge it too harshly)))
> 
> edit: I've made some changes to this so I'm going to republish the chapters without the shallura and a few other minor things, so yeah!

"Hey, it's Keith! Get him!"

The dark-haired boy takes off running down the street, lungs burning with each breath he takes. Spotting his house, he wills himself to speed up despite the way his body screams for him to stop, and dashes in through the back door. Slamming it behind him, he sinks to the tile floor, the room spinning rapidly as dizziness overcomes him. Keith's vision starts to blacken around the edges, and he is ready to accept defeat until footsteps come dashing into the kitchen, strong arms hoisting him off of the floor.

"Jesus, Keith," his older brother sighs, leading the younger boy on wobbly legs into his room. "Where's your inhaler? You're supposed to always have it with you."

"I-I don't know, Shiro," he wheezes.

Rifling through drawers, Shiro unearths the inhaler, practically throwing it at the boy, who takes it gratefully.

Once Keith has caught his breath, Shiro stoops down to his level, dark eyes searching dark eyes. "Listen, Keith. Are they bothering you again? I can get them to stop."

The smaller boy shrugs, wiping sweat from his forehead. "They always do," he mumbles.

Shiro sighs once again, swiping a hand over the faded birthmark across the bridge of his nose absently. "But they're making you sick. It worries me."

"I'll be fine."

His brother scoffs, standing to his full height and exiting the room. "Whatever."

Keith hops to his feet and strides over to the window, staring outside at the empty street, which leaves no traces of the boys who have long gone. A wave of melancholy washes over him. People just don't like Keith. Ever since he arrived in the neighborhood two months ago, just a puny and apathetic nine-year-old, he has been mercilessly preyed on by the local kids. They love Shiro, though. Everyone thinks Shiro is cool.

Nobody thinks Keith is cool. They say he has weird hair, and his clothes are strange, and make fun of him for being adopted, and torture him endlessly because of his debilitating asthma. Keith loves to be outside. He likes to sit in the grass on the front yard, alone with his thoughts. All Keith wants is to be left alone. Nobody understands that.

"Hey Keith!" a voice shouts from his front lawn. The dark-haired boy stares down at the familiar chubby boy and his companion, who hold colorful water guns. It's Hunk and Lance, the only two neighborhood kids who are ever nice to him.

Hunk always invites him to play with them, always extending the invitation of friendship. Lance, on the other hand, is a different story. Lance has never bullied him like the other kids. Instead, he says they are "rivals," insisting on beating him in every competitive game they've ever played. As much as Keith and Lance end up arguing and even physically fighting, Keith can't lie to himself and say that he doesn't feel like he is accepted around him. Lance has welcomed him since he was scared and alone, a foster kid coming to live with an all-new family in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Back then, Keith had no idea it would be permanent.

"Wanna have a water gun fight?!" Hunk screams from his place on the lawn, grinning in excitement.

"Sure," Keith yells back. Slipping his sneakers back on, the boy makes sure to grab his inhaler this time and races outside, letting the screen door bang closed behind him.

Hunk and Lance stand in their t-shirts and swim trunks, and Hunk greets Keith cheerfully, handing him a spare water gun. Lance just smirks in his direction, crossing his arms over his chest as his cerulean eyes flash with competitive spirit.

"Ready to get your ass kicked, Red?" he challenges, before Hunk interjects.

"Dude! Your mom told you not to say that word," Hunk whines, frowning in disapproval. Rolling his eyes, Lance sighs, starting over. " _Okay_ , okay. Ready to get your _butt_ kicked?"

Keith furrows his brows and clenches his fists, trying for the best menacing look he can muster. "You're on, Blue."

"Catch me if you can!" Lance shouts in a taunting tone, before he dashes off down the street.

"Dude, slow down!" Hunk screams, starting to chase him through the grass. "You're not playing fair!"

Determined to catch up to him, Keith breaks into a jog, despite the knowledge that his lungs won't be able to keep up. It only takes a few moments for him to be gasping for breath, and he stops, hands on his knees as he struggles for oxygen. The other two boys are long gone.

"Back for more?"

Keith whips his head around, seeing two of his tormentors towering over him, sneers painting their faces mean-spirited. Before he can get a word in edgewise, he is shoved to the ground roughly. The impact knocks the wind out of him, and he scrambles backwards on the grass as the sun beats down harshly, wheezing to get in any oxygen he can. "I don't know why you don't learn," he jeers.

Tears sting his eyes as he tries to get back on his feet, but the boys knock him down again. "Crybaby Keith," they taunt him with the familiar nickname, laughing cruelly. In the distance, a questioning voice calls, "Keith?" He recognizes it as Lance, but is too terrified to respond.

"Keith!" the loud boy calls once again, sounding much closer this time. Before Keith has a chance to react, there is a flash of dark hair and a blur of tiny fists, and the two older boys have taken off down the street, hopping onto their bikes and riding away quickly.

"Assholes," Lance mutters under his breath. Keith stifles a laugh in his hand, unable to take him completely seriously. He has never heard another nine-year-old talk like Lance does.

"Hey dude, are you okay?" Lance's voice cuts into his thoughts, genuine concern decorating every inch of his features. His mouth slopes downward and his wide, childish eyes glimmer with the vulnerability that they share in the moment. Keith swipes the tears from his cheeks before Lance can see, nodding slowly.

"Here, take my hand," Lance offers, and Keith grips the small, brown hand like a lifeline, letting Lance pull him to his feet. The boy flashes Keith a rare smile, full of nothing but kindness and the promise of friendship.

"Sorry I ran ahead. I wasn't being fair," he apologizes, his tone entirely sincere. "From now on, stick with me and Hunk, okay? You don't have to be alone."

Keith allows himself to smile, the words bringing him a warmth that the summer day can never bring. "Thank you," he whispers.

From that moment on, Keith trusts Lance with his whole heart. They still argue, and fight, and give each other a hard time, but at the end of each day, Keith falls asleep knowing that Lance is his friend. Lance and Hunk are the best friends he could ask for.

•     •     •

Texas summers are stiflingly hot and unbearably dry. Keith's t-shirt is soaked to his skin with sweat, the sun roasting his skin in needless cruelty as he lounges on the front lawn. Stifling a cough into his shirt, he feels his phone buzz beside him. It's a text from Lance. **mario kart battle???** it reads.

**You're on** , he types back. Despite being seventeen years old, they still continue this tradition. Standing from the barren grass, he grabs his shoes, marching barefoot across each lawn to reach his destination.

A small girl with huge, hazel eyes and curly brown pigtails waits for Keith at the screen door, gasping in delight once she sees him approaching.

"Keith! Keith! Keith!" she exclaims, jumping up and down and tugging at the sides of her baby blue dress. The dark-haired teenager chuckles, pushing the door open and sweeping the little girl up into his arms. She giggles, wrapping her arms around his neck in an embrace. "Hey Stella," he coos, setting the girl down as she beams up at him. Keith has become like an honorary brother to her, and she loves him to pieces. Stella is one of the few people Keith will show any sort of affection towards.

"Lance's in the kitchen with Mama," she informs Keith in her chipper, high-pitched voice, twinges with an accent from predominantly speaking Spanish. She is latched onto his leg, nuzzling her face in the denim of his shorts. Laughing to himself, Keith reaches down and pats her head, managing to pry her grip off of him. "Come on, let's go into the kitchen," Keith tells her, and she takes his hand as they proceed in that direction.

Keith finds Lance and his mother singing a duet in Spanish as they cook, swaying to the beat as his mother, Elisa, chops vegetables and Lance stirs a pot on the stove. Keith almost feels hesitant to say anything, not wanting to interrupt the sweet moment between mother and son. But then Stella shouts, "Lance! Keith's here!" and the peaceful moment fades away into nothingness as the pair stops their singing, turning around to face the dark-haired boy.

"Keith! It's so good to see you!" Elisa exclaims, delight illuminating her chocolate brown eyes and her kind smile. They exchange an embrace, as she adores him as much as any of her children, and she holds him away from her at arm's length. "Are you enjoying your break so far?" she continues, and he nods with a small smile. "That's good. Stay for dinner, okay? I'm making your favorite."

"Okay, thank you so much," Keith replies graciously, before turning to his lanky friend, who stands awkwardly beside her. "Hey Lance," he pipes up.

"Hey Keith," Lance greets him with an easy smile, strands of hair whipping in his face from the nearby fan as he approaches. "What's up?"

Keith shrugs, sweeping a hand through his sweaty hair. "Is it just us?"

Lance nods. "Yeah, Hunk's still in Hawaii and Pidge has this big coding project thingy. I kicked Marco and Nico out of the basement, so...let's go!"

Lance races ahead of Keith down the stairs, while the other takes his time. He recognizes that his asthma has been acting up lately, and doesn't want to aggravate it too much. His chest feels the familiar tightness of an oncoming flare-up, but he shoves it to the back of his mind. _I'll deal with it when I get home_ , he promises himself.

"I'm gonna kick your ass at Rainbow Road," Lance says determinedly, while Keith rolls his eyes and points the fan towards himself. They plop onto the couch which sags under their weight, each grabbing a controller of the Wii that could be considered vintage at this point.

"Oh, you wish," Keith replies with a smug grin. The familiar competitive spark lights within him, and he feels prepared for anything Lance will throw his way.

The usual arguments ensue, over selecting characters and picking each track, and Lance ends up getting his way with Rainbow Road. Keith just grits his teeth and prepares for the challenge, gripping his controller tightly in his hands.

Midway through the pushing and shoving and overall excitement of the round, Keith is plagued with a bout of coughing that causes Lance to pause the game. Expression falling to one of seriousness, he trains a careful gaze on Keith, who clutches his chest and gasps for air.

"Whoa. Dude. You good?" he asks, having seen this before but still harboring concern. He knows when to be nervous about Keith's asthma, and this sounds like one of those times.

"I'm...I'm good," Keith pants, sucking in air as his chest tightens. Trying not to panic, he digs his inhaler out of his pocket, taking it quickly. Ignoring the fact that he doesn't feel much better, he picks up his controller in trembling hands, swiping sweat from his brow. "Let's...let's get...back to the game."

Lance is eyeing him suspiciously, but he nods. "Okay, if you say so," he responds with a shrug, turning back to the TV and unpausing the game.

Lance can't focus on the game, however, distracted and disturbed by Keith's wheezy breathing and frequent coughing. Finally, he pauses the game again, turning to the boy who has grown considerably paler in the dim light, skin glistening with sweat.

"You don't sound good at _all_ ," Lance insists. "Do you want me to call Shiro?"

Keith shakes his head, scoffing at the boy whose face is beginning to grow blurry. _I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't breathe_... "I—I...no, I'm...fine," he manages, avoiding his help despite how much he desperately needs it. He is getting worked up, flustered over Lance seeing him in such a pathetic state, and he just wants it to stop.

"Okay, Keith, you're freaking me out," Lance says, squinting at the other male, who is now barely breathing. "I'm gonna go get my mom." Lance starts to bound of the stairs, calling her as he goes. " _Mama_!"

Keith can barely speak, he is so winded, but he still tries to refuse a trip to the hospital. Somehow he ends up in the car anyway, feeling dizzy and disoriented from the lack of oxygen. He feels like he is drowning, spiraling deeper and deeper downward into an ocean of breathlessness. All he recalls is rapid, panicked Spanish, and Stella's wailing, as she insisted on coming with. Keith doesn't remember much else after that, except for a calm, comforting voice, and the feeling of someone stroking his hair as he slips out of consciousness.

•     •     •

"Jesus Christ, Keith."

Shiro's voice is the first thing Keith hears, jarring to his senses as he finally returns to consciousness. He squints in the harsh lighting of the cramped room, going to speak but realizing he can't, due to the fact that there is a tube down his throat helping him breathe. His gaze snaps to the left, where his blurred vision clears and reveals his brother standing beside his bed, arms crossed in unadulterated anxiety. His eyes trail off to the left, observing a sight that makes his heart pick up speed—Lance is curled up in a chair beside his bed, sound asleep with his jacket draped over him like a blanket. A tiny frown resides in his brow, a reminder of his ongoing concern for his friend. Keith looks back towards Shiro, question in his eyes.

"That boy hasn't left your side at _all_. He's been waiting for you to wake up for a full day. Keith...have you been forgetting to take your medicine? Seriously, once you're able to, I would love an explanation for why you're here, in the hospital, instead of at home, relaxing." As irate as Shiro's tone comes off as, all he really wants to do is tackle his brother in a hug. He's awake, and alive. Hours prior, Shiro wasn't sure if that was going to be a possibility anymore, judging from the doubtful words of the doctors upon his first arrival. "By the way, Mom and Dad called. They can't fly back and see you, so they wish you the best until they're able to come back."

_Typical_ , Keith thinks to himself. _I almost die and they're not even here._

Later on, a nurse comes to remove Keith's ventilator, as he can once again breathe properly on his own. Shiro is out for coffee while this happens. Lance rouses as soon as Keith is able to talk freely again, writhing in the chair and scrubbing at his eyes with sleepy slowness. His gaze wanders over to Keith's bed, and their eyes meet, Keith's indigo irises wide and terrified.

Lance bolts up from his seat, any traces of sleep completely gone.

"Keith!" he screams, expression a mess of a million different emotions. Fatigue and relief reign over them all, as he sweeps a shaking hand over his face. "Oh my god, I'm so glad you're okay. I-I thought...I thought you were gonna _die_ , dude." His voice immediately grows soft, and his gaze flits to the ground, unsure of how to handle the new, shared truth between them.

Before Keith even has a chance to blink, he is swept up into an embrace, hesitating before he places his hands gingerly on Lance's back. Their hearts beat together, a mutual warmth and relief shared between them.

"That was fucking scary," Lance rambles on as he pulls back, obvious discomfort straining his voice. "Like...the next time you think you're gonna get really sick, say something sooner, okay?" Lance clears his throat awkwardly. "We were all...super worried."

"Sorry," Keith whispers, guilt weighing heavily on his heart.

"It's okay. Just...take care of yourself, dude."

Three days later, Keith is discharged from the hospital. Shiro keeps him inside, forcing him to rest in bed and avoid exerting himself. Lance's face keeps haunting his dreams, making it nearly impossible to sleep. He can't stop picturing his troubled frown, or his fatigued eyes, or the sad sag of his features as he confessed the fear he felt for Keith's life. The guilt is eating him alive, and the incident wasn't even within his control.

A week goes by, and Keith's boredom has become too much to bear, transforming into impatience. Daily breathing treatments, repetitive routines of video games and movies, and a stark lack of texts from his friends' group chat are dampening his spirits considerably. It is nine in the morning when he stomps into the kitchen, encountering Shiro, who scrolls through his phone while munching on a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning," Shiro greets him, not looking up from his phone.

Keith crosses his arms over his chest, gripping the sleeves of his oversized t-shirt. "No, it isn't a good morning," he replies bitterly, furrowing his brow in anger. "I want to get out of the house."

The older male sighs, setting down his spoon and his phone and running his hand through his locks of black and silver hair. "You need to rest," he answers simply, expressive features hardening into a stern look.

Scoffing, Keith's irritation only grows. "I've rested enough!" he protests. "Let me out of the house!"

His brother shakes his head, going back to his cereal with an unyielding frown. "Nope."

Keith, unwilling to take no for an answer, presses on, yanking his hands through his matted mess of hair. "What about if I did something here? Like, I could invite my friends over tonight, and we could all hang out or something." Keith cocks an eyebrow. "And you could invite Matt and Allura."

This grabs Shiro's attention. Matt is Shiro's best friend from high school, and Allura is his best friend from college, who is staying and working in the town for the summer. He has only heard stories about her—she is a commanding, intelligent, kind, pro-black lesbian, and Keith is intrigued to meet her in real life. Shiro has been intending for Keith and Allura to finally meet, anyway. He trains his gaze on Keith in exasperation, the dark-haired teenager smirking in self-satisfaction.

"I'll take your silence as a yes," Keith remarks proudly. Marching out of the kitchen, he proceeds to his phone to alert his friends of their plans.

• • •

The brothers have decided on a small gathering in the backyard. They set up as many rickety lawn chairs as they can find in a circle around a small table, where they pour glasses of lemonade and place a plate of microwaved s'mores. Keith sinks into a chair, leaning back and inhaling the night air with lungs still sore from his brush with death.

Footsteps crunch through the dry grass, and Keith looks up to see Lance, face flickering in the porch light. He tucks his hands into the pockets of his shorts, grinning in Keith's direction, and Keith's heart does a tiny flip in his chest at the gesture. He takes a seat beside the other boy, and Keith chews his lip, not used to this soft dynamic between them.

"Hey, man," he greets him, tone lacking any of his usual playfulness. "How are you?"

"Fine," Keith mumbles, eyes flitting down to a firefly in the grass to avoid looking at the boy next to him. He hasn't seen Lance since the hospital, and he feels an odd twinge of happiness within him, more than the usual spark of friendliness.

A slightly awkward silence lingers between them, before Lance spots the bag of marshmallows. "Bet you can't eat as many of those as I can," he pipes up, familiar rivalry creeping back into his voice. Finally feeling like they're back in their natural element, Keith seizes the bag, immediately accepting the challenge. "That's where you're wrong," he fires back.

Hunk arrives a bit later to find Keith and Lance in fierce competition, a pile of marshmallows between them. Hunk insists on wrapping Keith up into a bear hug, despite his protests. Shortly after are Matt and Pidge, the dynamic sibling duo. Shiro and Matt embrace enthusiastically, reuniting with questions fired back and forth at each other. Meanwhile, Pidge manages to offer up a heartfelt comment towards Keith without their usual sarcasm.

The conversation has turned to what everyone will study in college, excluding Shiro and Matt, when a figure steps into view in the distant darkness. Allura appears, long legs accentuated by her purple shorts and her galaxy print top flowing in the lazy breeze. Her denim jacket is covered in patches and pins that Keith trails with curious eyes. Long, silver braids cascade down her back, crystal blue eyes glimmering brightly in the porch light. Shiro nearly falls out of his chair as he scrambles to stand, smiling anxiously in her direction.

"Hi!" she exclaims, her gaze trailing from Matt and Shiro to the rest of the group. Lance is fully captivated, abandoning his marshmallows on the ground as his focus shifts completely to her. "Um...am I late?"

"No! No, you're right on time, actually," Shiro explains hurriedly. "It's so good to see you! This is Matt, as you know, and then this is Keith, and his friends." The circle waves collectively in Allura's direction, to which she sends a kind smile in return.

"It's great to meet everyone," she remarks, her accent capturing Keith's attention. Although he doesn't find her attractive personally, as he doesn't find any girl attractive, Keith has to admit, her beauty is enchanting.

Lance jumps to his feet, striding up to her with utmost confidence. "Hi there, I'm Lance," he begins, his tone and smile pompous as he takes her hand in his. "And you are?"

"Allura?" she replies, eyebrows raised as confusion diffuses through her effortlessly beautiful features.

"Allura," Lance echoes, nodding in thought. "What a pretty name for an even prettier face."

An unusual spark of irritation ignites within Keith, and he finds himself snapping, "Lance, leave her alone," in an exasperated tone. "She didn't come here for you to flirt with her."

Lance glares accusingly in Keith's direction, and everyone else stares at him in surprise of his outburst. Keith averts his gaze to the ground, watching fireflies float through the blades of grass.

"Uh...anyone seen any good movies lately?" Hunk cuts in, trying to break through the awkward atmosphere. Lance chimes in immediately, and soon, the party is restored to its normal, carefree tone, excluding Keith, who stares at his hands, brooding over the strange feelings that brew in his gut.

The night wears on. Shiro, Matt, and Allura sip beers and sit closer to each other, reminiscing on their final year of college. Pidge has been eyeing Keith suspiciously for over an hour, and Lance and Hunk are arguing about Game of Thrones. Keith stands, needing a break from the stifling air, and the social interactions he suddenly wants no part of. Everyone seems too preoccupied to notice Keith as he heads towards the house, head tilted up towards the faint stars that speckle the night sky.

_I wish I could float up to the stars and disappear._

"Keith!" a voice whispers harshly behind him. He jumps, startled, spinning around to face Pidge, who stands behind him in the darkness, drowning in oversized cargo shorts and a lime green t-shirt. Keith stares down at them quizzically, trying to read their mood through their large, deadpan eyes and neutral expression. It's impossible.

"What the hell, dude?" Pidge continues on. "I called your name like, eight times."

Keith rolls his eyes, scoffing at his companion. "Sorry, geez," he mutters. Keith and Pidge are close, despite having met two years after Keith officially became friends with Hunk and Lance. They were only eight at the time, but their sense of humor and way above-average intelligence reeled Keith in. Their closeness is mainly due to their natural aversion to people in general, and Keith's liking of Pidge's witty, sarcastic personality. Pidge has always been able to talk freely around him, particularly about the struggles of being a fourteen-year-old about to be a senior in high school, or of continually being erased as nonbinary. They rely on each other for advice, which Keith appreciates a whole lot.

"So what was that all about with Lance and Allura, huh?" Pidge questions, skipping ahead of him and proceeding inside. "And why did you get all emo afterwards?"

Keith flops onto the couch, sighing. The cool air of the house feels refreshing against his hot skin. "What are you even talking about?" he asks in a defensive tone, staring up at the blank white ceiling.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Pidge opens the fridge, grabbing a can of soda and slurping down the fizzy liquid. "Don't act coy with me, Kogane."

"What are you even implying?" The couch dips under Pidge's added weight, and he avoids their wide-eyed stare. "Allura doesn't like guys. What did you expect me to say?"

Pidge chuckles. "This isn't about Allura. We both know that."

"What?"

"Wow, are you really this dense?" Pidge slams their can of soda down in frustration. "You have a crush on Lance. It's the most obvious shit ever."

"Wh—n-no, what the fuck—Pidge, no I don't!" Keith chokes out, shooting up from his lying down position to shoot a fiery glare in their direction. "Lance is an idiot."

"An idiot who waited for you to wake up in the hospital for a full day, and who invites you over to play video games with him, and refused to let you walk home from school by yourself every day when your car broke down, and ran to get your inhaler that one time in gym class when you didn't have it, and suggested we all see a movie instead of go to prom when your date was an asshole and wouldn't go with you..."

Refusing to hear it, Keith shakes his head and scowls insistently, even as his cheeks burn purposefully. "We've been friends since we were nine, he can't be an asshole all the time," he scoffs.

Pidge shrugs, smirking. "Okay then, if you say so," they sing, hopping to their feet. "Just let me know when you let go of your denial so I can say I told you so." They walk back outside, shutting the screen door behind them.

Keith lets his eyes slip shut, falling onto his back into the plush cushions. How could he possibly have a crush on Lance? He's cocky, and overly competitive, and flirtatious, and isn't afraid to speak his mind, even when he is saying something stupid. Keith definitely doesn't find him kind, or funny, or intelligent, or caring. He hates Lance's stupid, messy chocolate hair, and his azure eyes, and deep-toned, clear skin, and lanky, faintly muscular frame. Lance isn't attractive in any way, shape, or form. He won't be changing his mind about this fact anytime soon.

_Pidge doesn't know everything_ , he thinks to himself, brows knitted together in an indignant frown. _And they are definitely wrong about this._

Keith returns to the party a half an hour later, once again calm and collected. Keith plops down into his seat, and Lance nudges his shoulder.

"You were gone for a while. You good, man?" he inquires, eyes focused on Keith in honest concern. Heart hammering in his chest, Keith nods curtly. He ignores Pidge's gaze from the corner of his eye, glasses glinting maniacally in the light's glare. His indigo eyes trail up to the night sky again, peering at the vast universe above him.

_I hope aliens abduct me and take me away from this hell_ , he thinks to himself, letting his mind wander into the great beyond.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys. I've never written anything that got so many reads in such a short time!!! Ahhh thank you guys so much (๑>◡<๑) ♡ I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter!!!

Keith is standing in his swim trunks, directly underneath the hot sun as it beams down upon him, heating his bare skin. Two small children jump around at his feet exuberantly, screaming cheerful demands up at him.

"Come on, Keith, let's go swim!" Lance's five-year-old sister, Stella, insists as she tugs on his hand with urgency.

"Hey, I bet you can't jump off that diving board," Lance's seven-year-old brother, Nico, challenges him as he pulls on Keith's other hand. Keith loves these kids like they're his own siblings, but is unable to fulfill all of their requests at once. Instead, he attempts to pry their tiny hands from his, trying desperately to speak over their excited yelling. He looks to Lance for help, but the boy in question is racing one of his brothers across the pool, their limbs splashing water everywhere as they swim.

Sighing, Keith bends down to the children's level, quieting them as he promises he will swim with both of them and dive later. Keith did not anticipate encountering Lance's entire family today—he simply came to the public pool to swim by himself, and maybe sort through some things in his head after his very confusing talk with Pidge three days prior. When he arrived, however, he was immediately swarmed by Lance's siblings. _What are the odds?_

Keith stands in the shallow end with the two siblings, who laugh and splash each other in playful excitement. "Hey Keith! Watch this!" Nico yells, his wet hair sticking to his forehead. He clambers out of the pool and proceeds to make a cannonball right in the center, effectively dousing Keith and Stella in chlorine-filled water.

Lance reaches the side of the pool a split second before his brother does, whooping triumphantly. Stella laughs at her brothers as arguing ensues, turning to Keith and poking him in the side to get his attention.

"Hey Keith," Stella says, lowering her voice to as quiet a volume as a five-year-old can muster. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course," the dark-haired male whispers, bending to her level as he plays along. Stella bursts into a fit of giggles, hanging onto Keith's hand to keep herself steady. The girl cups her small hands around his ear, taking a deep breath.

"Lance thinks your hair is pretty."

Stella nearly falls backwards into the pool from laughter, and Keith catches her by the back of her pink swimsuit before she can. "Um—wh-what?" he splutters, perplexed by the new information.

"That's what he told me!" she exclaims, smiling innocently in her brother's direction. "He says you have pretty hair."

Keith's eyes widen, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. _Lance said that? About me? Why would he do that?_

"Your face is really red," Stella giggles, pointing up at Keith.

Somehow, in that instant, the topic of their conversation comes wading over through the water, and Stella ducks behind Keith's legs, laughing mischievously.

"Hey Stella, what are you up to?" Lance asks gently, peering around Keith to look at her. He pokes her belly and she laughs even more.

"Nothing!" she squeals.

"Go see Mama, she's calling you, alright?"

"Okay!" The small girl scrambles out of the pool, pigtails dripping behind her.

"Hey," Lance greets Keith, his tone changing. "I thought maybe you might need a break from my siblings for a bit, you wanna walk and get some ice cream or something?"

"Sure," Keith replies, hyperaware of the tiny beads of water that drip down Lance's chest, and the ripples of muscle on his abdomen. Ignoring this, he looks ahead at the ground as they quickly towel off and throw on their shirts and shoes, pushing open the gate that closes off the pool's entrance.

They make light banter on their way to the quaint ice cream shop in town, all the while Keith noticing small things about Lance that he's never noticed before. He speaks more quickly when he's excited, accompanying his wild gestures, and there is a tiny, carefree bounce to his step as they walk down the sidewalk.

"Was my sister bothering you?" Lance asks with a good-natured grin. "She's extra hyper today, I don't know why."

"No, your sister doesn't bother me, she's sweet," Keith answers with a shrug, picturing the little girl in his head. Lance snorts. "That's what she wants you to think," he half-jokes. Keith remembers her comment and suddenly finds himself very invested in fixing his hair.

Upon arriving at the ice cream shop, Lance orders chocolate ice cream and Keith orders pistachio, leading Lance to make fun of him, like he does every time. "Who even eats pistachio ice cream, anyway? That's like, the worst flavor!" he jokes, shoving Keith playfully. The dark-haired male rolls his eyes into oblivion, even though he finds it hard to hide his smile. Lance is so annoying. "I do, asshole, leave me alone," he sighs, licking the side of his cone before it melts all over his hands.

They arrive back at the gate, and Lance starts to push his way through, but Keith pauses, frozen in place. "Um...I think I'm just gonna go home," Keith says awkwardly, staring down at the unblemished cement. "Tell your family I said it was nice seeing them. Uh...yeah."

"Oh. Okay, are you sure?" Lance's tone is strange, and it almost sounds like disappointment is creeping into his voice. It can't be, though, so Keith simply nods.

"Alright, man. See you around, then." The gate shuts behind him with a clatter, and when Keith looks up, he is gone.

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he exhales deeply, clarity returning to his thoughts as oxygen flows through his lungs. Keith's heart is racing a mile a minute, and he grips the wall to steady himself.

_What the fuck is happening to me?_ he wonders, slightly alarmed at his sudden, winded state. Standing upright again, he decides maybe he's due for some more rest, and makes his way back home.

Arriving in his room, he dives headfirst into bed, reveling in the feeling of cool sheets against his skin. He is worn out from all of the walking and swimming and entertaining little kids, and so he drifts off into an easy sleep.

• • •

Lance has always been a little jealous of Keith.

Obviously this excludes the difficult things—he was never jealous of Keith's status as an orphan, or his asthma, or the relentless bullying he faced for his large, old-fashioned hand-me-down clothing and hair that reached his shoulders.

Then Keith grew older, started buying new clothes, got a haircut (although, Lance admits, he could've picked a style that wasn't a mullet), hit a growth spurt, and enrolled in tae kwon do lessons that led him to become an intimidating fighter who would retaliate against his tormentors. Suddenly, Keith was cool, and he excelled in all of his classes at school to match this effortless persona.

Lance envies this, because as hard as he tries to be cool, it never works out in the same way it does for Keith. Girls are all over Keith, and he shrugs them off with disinterest. He is naturally smart, acing tests with no problem, but he always acts modest, even apathetic. There was always something about this that got under Lance's skin, which is where their rivalry stems from now. Keith is Lance's friend, first and foremost, but he constantly feels obligated to one-up him.

Truthfully, Keith is rather socially awkward, and doesn't understand half the jokes Lance tries to tell him, and significantly lacks self-awareness. He's a huge dork, despite how intimidating people find him at first glance. He desperately wants to buy a motorcycle, and is a giant geek about his knowledge of it every chance he gets. He loves conspiracy theories, and eighties music, and Lance has seen him cry on more than one occasion. Lance knows this, but he has also seen Keith singlehandedly spar three guys without breaking a sweat, and get a perfect score on a physics test he didn't study for, and politely turn down girls' requests to hang out with him without an ounce of awkwardness. Lance, on the other hand, feels like he has to try so hard to succeed. It's infuriating, really.

Lance talks about Keith so much at home that one day his older brother Ricky protests, "Okay, we _get_ it, you like him," which results in the whole dinner table erupting in giggles and snickers and the tips of Lance's ears turning bright red. "I-I don't! It's not like that!" he shoots back, but nobody believes him. It doesn't help that Ricky later tricks him into saying that Keith has "pretty hair," which he _doesn't._

Lance locks himself in his room as soon as his family returns from the pool, succeeding in locking his brother out as well. He ignores him as he pounds on his bedroom door, and instead lets his mind wander to the events of earlier. That little spark of jealousy reignites itself when he considers how he tried to flirt with the cashier at the ice cream shop, and she showed no interest, instead remaining focused on Keith, who completely didn't notice. He knows Keith isn't interested in girls, but can't he at least point them in Lance's direction?

Why is he always thinking about Keith lately, anyway? What is it about his stupid hair, or his rare smile, or his reserved personality that only comes alive in the company of others that keeps capturing Lance's attention? Why is it that he doesn't mind their bickering so much anymore? What is happening?

The main reason Lance has locked himself away is due to his siblings' relentless teasing, which doesn't make him feel any better. "Where were you and Keith, did you go _make out?_ " Nico began on the car ride back, and Lance's four younger siblings erupted into laughter. Lance glared out the window at the houses that passed by in a blur, ignoring them completely.

"Oh, hush, leave him alone," Lance's older sister, Vanessa, chastised them from the front. She balanced her baby daughter on her lap, smiling in mock-disapproval at her siblings. That got them all to calm down, at least a little bit, and Lance thanked her silently.

Vanessa, being the oldest, a college graduate, married, and a relatively new mother, knows best how to handle her siblings. She is clearly the most responsible, being twenty-three years old, and so everyone tends to listen to her. She gives great advice as well.

The pounding on the door stops, and Lance breathes a sigh of relief, thankful that his brother has given up and decided to pursue other things. But then there is another knock, softer this time, and he groans, wondering who it is now.

"Lance? May I come in?" Vanessa calls.

Lance considers this. He doesn't particularly want company momentarily, but in a house with six siblings, that's nearly impossible, and he knows that. "Alright," he agrees, standing and unlocking the door to let Vanessa in.

Vanessa enters, her long, dark waves flowing down her shoulders as her kind hazel eyes focus on Lance. She sweeps it out of the way and takes a seat beside Lance on the edge of his bed, where he sits in contemplative irritation. "I've missed you, _mi hermanito_ ," she says gently. She lives in Austin now with her husband and her daughter, which is a few hours away from the house where she spent most of her childhood. She's visiting for the next month or so, and has just arrived today. Lance smiles, nodding. "I missed you too."

"So." She nudges his shoulder, staring down at how his hands are balled into fists, gripping his bedsheets. "Is everything okay?"

"Yup." Lance shrugs off the familiar, foreboding feelings, staring out the window at the setting sun.

Vanessa purses her lips. "Lance. I know you. If something is bothering you, you can tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone else."

Lance sighs deeply, giving up his nonchalant act as the muddled feelings swirl in his gut. "Well...okay," he says, giving in. "It's like...I'm starting to get really confused."

"Confused?" Vanessa tilts her head towards her brother, her gaze urging him on. "About what?"

"Uh, Keith, I guess?"

Vanessa bites her lip, hiding a knowing grin. "What do you mean?" she inquires innocently.

"Like...okay, so a couple weeks ago, he was at home and we were playing Mario Kart, and he had a really bad asthma attack? He couldn't breathe at all, it was _bad_. And like, we had to take him to the hospital. It was pretty damn scary, because, I mean, he basically almost _died?_ Ever since then, I get all weird around him, and like...I don't know, I'm probably just in shock or whatever, so I'm feeling differently around him. I thought it would go away though, but instead I'm just...I want to be around him more, I guess. It's weird. And nobody will leave me alone about it." He breathes out a lengthy exhale, his nerves subsiding.

Vanessa works through this information in her brain. Not wanting to give Lance a sure answer, however, she decides just to let him figure it out. "Maybe spending more time with Keith would help you to work out what you're feeling?" she suggests. "Don't ignore the way you feel, embrace it. Just let things be natural. Spend more time with him, become closer friends. And just ignore everyone when they tease you. You know they're just being silly."

Lance nods, offering up a wide smile to his sister. "Thanks, Nessa," he replies gratefully.

"You're welcome." She pats his shoulder. As if on cue, there is the wailing of a baby in the distance, and Vanessa's husband calls out her name. "I gotta go take care of that," Vanessa says apologetically. "Nice talk, little bro." She stands and exits quickly, leaving Lance alone with his thoughts.

• • •

Keith's slumber is interrupted by someone shaking his shoulder roughly. Opening up two blurry eyes, he scowls up at Shiro, who hovers above him with an unnaturally large smile on his face.

"What?" he grumbles, not pleased at having been woken up.

"I have a surprise for you," Shiro says through his grin, trying to keep the excitement down in his voice. "Come with me."

Rolling his eyes, Keith steps out of bed and slides into his boots, following Shiro all the way out the back door. He rubs his eyes, which are still a bit hazy from sleep. The setting sun casts a crimson glow over their surroundings, and Keith's eyes sweep over the backyard, to where Shiro stands, next to the shed, beaming. It takes Keith a moment to process that Shiro is leaning on something. Something with big wheels, painted red, and shiny, and—

"Holy shit!" he screams suddenly. He sprints over to where his brother stands and crouches down before the red motorcycle, taking it in with eager eyes.

"I know your birthday isn't for a while, but..." Shiro shrugs. "Mom and Dad called, saying they felt comfortable with the idea of you driving it now, and, you know, we all wanted to surprise you."

"Wow, Shiro, this is...this is amazing," the dark-haired boy gushes, and when he looks up at his brother his indigo eyes are full of exuberance, a wide smile starting to spread throughout his features. This is a rarity, and so Shiro enjoys his brother's happiness, even more surprised when Keith shoots up into his arms, wrapping him in a crushing embrace.

"Thank you so much," he whispers. "You're the best."

"No problem, Keith," Shiro chuckles. "Happy early birthday."

Pulling away, Keith hops onto it like a natural, positioning himself comfortably on the seat, and getting himself used to the feeling. This feels right, like it's meant to be. "Hey, can I take it out for a little bit? If that's okay?" He's ridden a motorcycle before as practice, and he knows how everything works fairly well. Besides, Keith knows he'll have plenty of space to work with, considering the vast, open desert that surrounds their town.

"Sure," Shiro agrees. He tosses a helmet in Keith's direction, waiting until the boy secures it, and then throws him the keys. "Want me to go with you?"

Considering this, Keith shakes his head. "Nah, I'll be fine." Sticking the key in the ignition, he smirks as the engine rumbles to life, and his confidence swells to new levels. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Okay, just wait a minute," Shiro says anxiously, and then launches into a safety rant that would put his father to shame.

"I know all of that already," Keith cuts in sharply, rolling his eyes up to the fiery sky. "I'm not that reckless." Taking a deep breath, he starts to roll out, watching as Shiro waves in his direction as he takes off.

Of course, as soon as streets turn into desert roads, Keith amps up the speed, unafraid of the wide open emptiness that lies ahead. The wind whips through his hair and fills his lungs with the sweet smell of freedom. He feels exhilarated, an earnest smile on his face as he drives ahead into the great beyond.

Keith has a hiding place in the desert that nobody knows about. It's strange, but one day while going to run errands for his parents while Shiro was away at college, he took a wrong turn in his car and ended up at this tiny, abandoned shack in the middle of nowhere. Curious, he went inside and found a few scattered pieces of furniture, but it was otherwise run-down and deserted. Sometimes he would disappear for hours on end and stay in there, just to get away from it all.

This is where he ends up tonight, and sits on the cot in the corner in silence with his thoughts. He watches out the cracked window at the slowly setting sun, burning the sky in brilliant red and orange tones. He stays until the stars begin to speckle the sky, and in this clear, open area, free of light pollution, they decorate the inky blackness like millions of tiny fireflies. It's beautiful.

Pulling into the driveway, Keith parks his bike and climbs off, shaking out his hair as he takes off his helmet. He no longer feels tired, instead refreshed from the ride and from the time alone watching the sunset. He sends a picture of his new prized possession to the group chat he has with Hunk, Lance, and Pidge, and proceeds inside.

• • •

Keith is finally settling down into sleep when his phone buzzes. Rolling his eyes, he sits up in the darkness and snatches it off of his bedside table.

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: hey remember when you were like ten and you were really obsessed with scooby doo**

**What the hell are you doing up and why are you bothering me?** Keith types, huffing and throwing his phone back in its place. He tries to ignore it as it buzzes incessantly with Lance's replies, but finds he can't sleep with the constant interruptions and snatches it up again.

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: okay i know it's 2 am but i can't sleep**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: hunk won't answer and pidge said they're too busy to talk**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: so i settled for you :P**

**Keith: Okay but I'm exhausted. Don't you have a million siblings you can talk to?**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: not at 2 am.**

Sighing, Keith rubs a hand over his face and gives in. Somehow, he isn't feeling as bitter as he usually would about this type of development.

**Keith: Fine, you can talk to me.**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: cool. ok so do you remember**

**Keith: Of course I do. Your point?**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: it's on right now. wanna come over?**

**Keith: ??????????**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: ok nevermind lol. good night**

Keith stares at his screen for a moment, puzzled, before typing out another response.

**Keith: Wait Lance. Is everything okay, or whatever?**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: everything's great. i was kidding. good night**

**Keith: Alright then? Good night.**

Setting his phone down, Keith remains perplexed, rubbing at his temples to rid himself of an oncoming headache. His stomach feels strange and jumbled, like a mixture of odd feelings. It's so strange that he shrugs it off completely, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

•      •      •

Hunk arrives at Lance's house shortly after breakfast takes place, and Lance raves about his strange behavior all the way through their walk to the movie theater. He then proceeds to explain exactly what he told Vanessa, while Hunk listens attentively.

Hunk and Pidge made a bet six months prior on whether or not Lance and Keith's constant arguments, challenges, and silly rivalry were due to unresolved romantic tension or not. Both agreed on this fact, so the bet was made to see how long it would take for them to get together. Hunk said one year. Pidge, very specifically, hypothesized seven months.

Of course, listening to Lance now, Hunk realizes that maybe Pidge was onto something.

"Well," Hunk begins, pressing his fingertips together in thought as they reach their destination, "Lance, you're bisexual, right?"

Lance halts his walking, tilting his head and staring at his friend in disbelief. "Wait. Seriously, dude?" he inquires. "You've known that since eighth grade. You're the one who helped me figure it out!"

Hunk sighs. "I know that. It was a rhetorical question. Anyway, very obviously, that means you feel romantic attraction towards boys. So..."

Lance doesn't follow, cocking an eyebrow. "So...what?"

"So...I'm not trying to tell you how you feel, but...do you think, _maybe_ , you might have a _tiny_ crush on Keith?"

Lance stares at Hunk like his words are pure blasphemy. "What the fuck, dude? That's impossible."

Hunk bites his lip to hide his laughter. "I wouldn't be so quick to say impossible..."

"Nope. Definitely impossible."

Hunk decides to leave the topic alone for the day, and let Lance remain in his denial.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the reads!!! I can't believe my little story has gained nearly 400 reads already!!! I really appreciate it :) ♡

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): Okay so it's official. We need to get Lance and Keith alone to realize their feelings.**

**pidge★彡: agreed. you talked to lance I presume?**

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): Yup. He's in denial.**

**pidge★彡: same with keith. they'll realize eventually. what did you have in mind?**

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): Well...**

"I can't believe Hunk and Pidge bailed on us again," Lance complains as he strolls down the sidewalk bedside Keith. They've just eaten at Lance's house, and escaped to get a break from his siblings. "What do they think this is? I don't wanna spend all my time with _you_."

Keith glares accusingly in his direction, arms crossed tightly over his chest. "Whatever. I've been preoccupied with my bike, anyway. I can show it to you, if you want."

Lance feigns disinterest, despite the excitement that bubbles beneath the surface of his emotions. "Yeah, sure. That would be cool," he responds nonchalantly, nodding even as his heart increases its rate.

Entering in through the back door, Keith runs to the freezer immediately to grab a popsicle. Grabbing a hair tie off of the table, he ties his hair back into a messy ponytail. Lance watches with interest, wondering why butterflies float through his stomach as he looks upon Keith with his hair swept back away from his face, his beauty natural and effortless. Momentarily, he remembers Hunk's words, but quickly shoves them to the back of his mind. There's no way that could be true.

"Want one?" Keith inquires, indigo eyes trained on Lance in earnestness as he holds out a popsicle. Lance accepts it wordlessly.

Keith focuses on the tile floor as a distraction from the horrifying slurping sounds Lance makes as he devours his popsicle. "Wanna go see my motorcycle?" Keith quizzes, a strange feeling budding inside of his chest. Lance's eyes light up, and he nods. "Let's go!" he exclaims.

Keith practically dashes outside, before unlocking the shed and revealing his shiny, red motorcycle, gleaming in the sunlight. Lance feasts on the sight before him, thoroughly impressed.

"Wow, this is amazing," he says finally, no hint of sarcasm or playfulness to his tone at all. Keith feels an odd pride swell inside of him, and he allows himself a small smile, nodding.

"Thanks. Her name's Red."

This is when Lance pauses, his expression breaking out into one of disbelief. Keith's satisfaction crumbles into nothingness as Lance stifles very obvious laughter behind a hand. "You _named_ your motorcycle? Also, Red? That is the worst name. Out of anything you could've named it, _that's_ what you picked?"

Flushing in embarrassment and irritation, Keith scoffs, the heat suddenly becoming unbearable. "Well...fuck off, I liked the name, okay? Geez."

Lance laughs openly now. "I'm just kidding, man. Have you ridden it yet?"

Keith's self-righteous smirk returns. "Yeah. It's awesome, and super liberating. I love it."

Lance winks in a mock-flirtatious way. "Maybe you can take me out on Red sometime, then." This catches Keith completely off guard, and his heart flies into a sporadic pulse from a sudden wave of overwhelming feelings. He forgets how to breathe for a second, choking on a gasping breath before regaining his composure.

"Y-you wish," he shoots back, but it lacks his usual fire.

The pair watch a movie in Keith's living room, lounging in front of the fan to cool off from the stifling heat. It occurs to Keith that he's never asked Lance about his strange behavior a few nights ago, and so he decides to ask while a silence exists between them.

"Hey, uh, Lance?" he speaks, cutting through the quiet. The brunette beside him looks over, quirking an eyebrow.

"Hm?" Keith ignores the way his damp hair falls across his forehead perfectly, ocean eyes inquisitive.

"Um...that time the other night...when you texted me...was everything okay?"

Lance's mouth twists into a grimace, unease diffusing throughout his features. He's never been good at hiding his emotion through his expressions. "Oh. Yeah. It's fine, don't worry about it." He waves it off and shrugs, turning back to the movie, but Keith isn't giving up so easily.

"I mean...if something is wrong...we're friends, right? You can tell me."

Lance breaks into an easy grin, forcing down his sudden flood of emotions for the boy next to him. "No, it's cool. Thanks though."

Keith gazes upon Lance for a moment longer than he should. He's never felt so strange, weird feelings plaguing him incessantly. _I've had crushes before, I know what they feel like,_ he thinks to himself. _This is not that._

• • •

Shiro returns home from work to find Keith and Lance, knelt by the table in the living room, playing UNO. A fierce argument has ensued, and Shiro rolls his eyes, grabbing a soda from the fridge and pressing it against his burning hot forehead.

"I hate to interrupt," Shiro interjects, cutting into their bickering, "but I'm about to make dinner. Lance, are you staying?"

The lively brunette looks over, eyes going wide in horror as he sees the time. "Oh shit. I was supposed to be home for dinner an hour ago," he sighs, smacking his forehead in exasperation. Keith allows himself a smug smirk. "Guess that means I win."

"You wish, Mullet," Lance fires back, giving him a playful shove. Scrambling to his feet, he grabs his backpack, swinging it around his shoulder. A kindness appears in his face, softening his sharper features. "I guess...see you tomorrow then?"

Keith nods, smiling awkwardly. He is trapped in Lance's friendly gaze, the heat of competition sizzling down into nothingness. "Uh...yeah. See you tomorrow."

Lance wills the butterflies in his stomach to stop their incessant fluttering as he exits out the back door, which bangs shut behind him. Inside, Keith stares at the floor, chewing his lip. His heart pounds madly, stomach a mess of jumbled emotions.

"So, how was work?" Keith inquires in a feigned casual tone.

Shiro smiles calmly. "It was great. How was your date with Lance?"

"Wait—" Keith splutters and chokes on nothing, startled by Shiro's nonchalant comment. "Wh- _what?_ What do you—"

"Oh come on, I'm not stupid, Keith, I've lived with you for almost a decade. I know that you have a crush on Lance."

Keith shakes his head indignantly. "You don't know anything."

"It's super obvious."

Impulsively, Keith turns and throws the entire deck of cards in Shiro's direction, watching as they fall from his muscular body and scatter all over the floor. "You're gonna have to clean that up, you know," Shiro points out.

"Whatever," Keith grumbles.

Twenty minutes later, Keith and Shiro sit at the table, quietly eating the quick macaroni and cheese dinner Shiro has whipped up for both of them. Keith can't get the events from earlier off of his mind. Thinking of Lance makes him feel warm, a tingly feeling spreading through to his fingertips when he pictures Lance's smile, and his charisma, and his laugh, lighting up any room like a Christmas tree. Keith is so, _so_ disgusted with himself.

"Keith, you're super quiet," Shiro pipes up eventually, quirking an eyebrow in the boy's direction as he munches silently on a bite of cheesy pasta. His tone is sincere now, not teasing at all. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Keith mumbles with a dismissive shrug. "Just thinking."

Shiro's brow only lifts even higher. "About...?"

"About...none of your business."

Shiro rolls his eyes with a resigned sigh. "Fine. Don't tell your brother. It's cool." He sniffs exaggeratedly and wipes his eyes like he's crying. Now it's Keith's turn to be exasperated.

"Whatever Shiro."

Dropping the act, the older male focuses his attention on the younger boy across the table. "Seriously though. If you need to tell me, I'm all ears."

Pushing away from the table, Keith shakes his head stubbornly. "It's too embarrassing. I'm gonna go take a shower." Abandoning his bowl of food, Keith dashes off, leaving Shiro wondering.

• • •

Lance can't stop pacing the length of his room.

Ricky is getting more and more annoyed as the minutes pass, throwing various objects in the boy's direction to stop his incessant mumbling and frenzied pacing, but to no avail.

"I can't like Keith," he mutters to himself, hands shoved in his silky hair. "It's impossible. I can't like Keith. There is no way."

" _Lance_!" Ricky shouts, indignant frown making his deep brown eyes catch fire. "Can you shut the fuck up?"

"Sorry! I'm having a crisis!" he shoots back, and the brothers glare ominously at each other until Ricky cracks.

"Jesus. Fine. I'll leave then." The older boy stalks out of the room, the door slamming behind him as he goes.

Lance curses under his breath.

Vanessa peeks in a minute later, balancing her baby daughter, Luna, on her hip. She reaches for Lance with small, chubby fingers, gurgling happily as he gazes upon her uncle.

Passing Luna over to him, Lance cradles her in loving arms, as Vanessa seats herself beside him. "Ricky told me you needed some advice," she says gently.

Lance shrugs, trying to stay nonchalant. "I just...I hung out with Keith today."

Vanessa smirks, staring down at her lap to hide the telltale smile. "Really? Did something happen?" she questions innocently.

"I realized that...Hunk may be right...and I might...like Keith? A little bit?"

Luna giggles delightedly at this, squeezing Lance's shirt in a tiny hand.

Outside the door, Stella and Nico kneel on the floor, ears pressed against the door as they eavesdrop. "I _knew_ it!" Nico whispers as Lance confesses to his feelings.

Inside, Lance lets Luna crawl around on his bed as he listens to Vanessa's advice. "See? I told you spending time with him would help you to sort things out." She smiles, familiar wisdom shining through. "So what are you going to do about it?"

Lance considers this. "Um...I don't really know, actually."

Vanessa pats his shoulder. "Just let things happen. Go with the flow, relax, and don't let it influence you." She swipes up Luna before she can topple off the edge of the bed, cradling the giggling baby in her arms. "I'm going to give Luna a bath." Standing, she sends her brother a wave, to which the baby mimics the action, latching onto her mother's dark, curly hair.

Opening the door, she sees Nico and Stella scamper off, cackling as they do. Deciding not to mention this little detail to Lance, she proceeds away, closing the door softly behind her.

•     •     •

Keith wakes up the next morning, shivering even though he's covered in a mountain of blankets. Shiro determines that he has a fever and has to stay home for the day. He lays in bed underneath the blankets, watching The Breakfast Club on his laptop, until he receives a text in the afternoon that allows him to emerge from his blanket shelter.

**Pidge★彡: hey sicko i'm coming over >:)**

Keith sits up, rubbing at his hazy eyes. There's a knock on the door, loud and insistent. "I'll get it!" Shiro yells, before the boy can move a muscle.

Pidge appears in the doorway, grinning mischievously. Their hair is pulled back into pigtails, and they wear overalls and a red and white striped shirt. Plopping down onto Keith's bed, Pidge crosses their arms, smirking.

"So. You hung out with Lance yesterday," they begin, watching as Keith's face morphs into a scowl. "How was _that_?"

Keith sighs, flopping backwards and staring up at the white ceiling. "I can't believe you sometimes," he huffs.

Pidge nudges him in the back with their toe. They're like a pesky little sibling sometimes. "That didn't answer my question," Pidge sings.

"It was _fine_ ," Keith mumbles, burying his face in his pillow. "Stop interrogating me."

"Come to any realizations?"

"I'm not going to give you the satisfaction."

"Ha!" Pidge raises their voice abruptly, pointing triumphantly in Keith's direction. "So you've succumbed to your fate."

"No."

"Yes."

Keith sighs, rolling over to face them. "Listen. It's nothing, okay? Just let it diffuse and we can all forget about it in a couple of weeks when it goes away. This isn't a prolonged thing."

Pidge rolls their eyes. "You can't stay in denial forever," they declare, crossing their arms over their chest. "I know you think he's cute, and I know you get jealous when he flirts with girls."

Keith's cheeks burn crimson, and he brings his blanket up to cover his face. "You can't make me admit anything."

Pidge yanks the blanket out of his grasp, smirking. "You already have."

Pidge leaves eventually, after Keith drifts off to sleep, tuckered out from their bickering. Pidge ruffles his hair and slips out the back door, away from Shiro's questioning eyes.

•     •     •

Shiro tries to wake Keith for dinner that evening, but to no avail. Keith sleeps on into the night, lost in strange dreams and buried in blankets. A jarring sound is what startles him awake—his phone ringing, blasting through the silence of the room. He blinks with bleary eyes as he views the time, and the contact. _2:34 AM. Lance._

"Hello?" he mumbles groggily, voice hoarse and disoriented.

Lance's voice answers frantically from the other end. "Okay dude so I know you're sick or whatever and you should be resting but no one else would answer and I'm kinda freaking out." He breathes in short pants, a panic laced into his tone that Keith doesn't recognize. This wakes him up a bit more.

"Um...is everything okay?" Keith asks, concern budding within him.

"Uh...I think..." Lance is so out of breath, it sounds like he's been running, and his voice shakes with the sound of sobs. "I think...I'm having...an anxiety attack."

Keith is puzzled. "Anxiety...attack?"

"Yeah, like...I don't know what to do man, can you just...can you just...I-I don't know...talk to me?"

"Talk to you?" Keith considers this. He still doesn't have a firm grasp on the situation, still stuck in a fog of sleep, but he knows the least he can do is talk about something. Keith has never had much to say, so he racks his brain for something fitting. "Um...you like the beach, right? Just...imagine...the waves, and the sand, and uh...and it's warm, and the water's cool, and your family is there, and everything's great?" Keith's voice trails off unsurely. "And...you're relaxed, and it's super sunny, and...it's perfect. Right?"

Lance's erratic breathing has slowed a bit. "R-right," he sniffles.

As nerve-wracking as the situation is, Keith manages to keep talking. "I don't really know what you're going through, but I'm pretty sure you're going to be alright. I mean, you're like, always so positive? And you have such a good attitude about things? So...everything's going to be okay, right?"

Lance breathes out an even breath, his tense muscles easing up a bit. He falls backwards onto the couch he sits on, allowing himself to breathe deeply. "Right."

A silence hangs between them for a while, as Lance fully collects himself and Keith ponders how to proceed.

"Are you okay?" Keith whispers finally. He clutches his blanket tightly, staring at the light of his phone in the darkness. "Like, uh...does that happen to you...a lot?"

Lance clears his throat. "Well, only Hunk knows this, but...I mean, all of you guys know about my ADHD, but...I started having these, and my mom took me to the doctor, and they said I have anxiety? There was also a little thing where I was kind of depressed for a little while but I think that's better now...but this comes and goes, and gets really bad sometimes." Lance pauses. "You know how you have asthma, and sometimes you really can't breathe? It's like, the same thing happens to me, but it's not my lungs, or anything, it's just...anxiety."

"Oh." Keith takes a few moments to absorb the new information, realizing just how much Lance has likely struggled. "Dude, that really sucks. I'm sorry."

Lance smiles meekly in the darkened room, even though Keith can't see. "It's okay. I get by. It's just...sometimes, having six siblings, nobody pays any attention to you. And...I kinda feel like a seventh wheel, you know?"

Keith's heart pulses for him. "I know. But you're really important, even if it doesn't always feel that way. "

"Thanks."

They're silent again. Keith measures the situation, wondering if he should chime in with his own experiences. Something about the discussion is so intimate, and he wants to pour out his own problems so badly. He decides to confide in Lance, though with an ounce of restraint.

"I get...kind of depressed sometimes too," Keith mumbles, gripping the phone in a sweaty palm, pressing it closer to his ear. "But...I'm too nervous to tell Shiro. And...my parents are always traveling. I know this sounds bad, but like...they've always just felt like Shiro's parents, not mine. I'm adopted, I'm not really a part of their family." Keith chews his lip, feeling pathetic tears well up in his eyes. "I-it gets lonely."

"Wait...really?" This catches Lance's attention, and he sits up, running a hand over his face. "Keith, of course you're a part of their family. It doesn't matter if you're adopted. That's your family. Shiro's your brother, I mean—you guys are so close." Clearing his throat awkwardly, he continues. "If you're ever feeling that way and need to talk...you can talk to me, if you want."

Keith feels warmth spread all over his body, despite the cold reality resting between them. "Thanks," he murmurs, sinking deeper into his pillow. "Um...same for you."

Lance snorts, weighed down by the heavy atmosphere. "Who knew? Your company is actually tolerable at two in the morning," he snickers. Keith scoffs on the other end, rolling his eyes back into his skull. "Way to ruin the moment, Lance," he grumbles, but he isn't irritated at all.

The two boys exist in silence for a bit, lying in their respective darknesses and listening to each other's soft breaths. Lance sighs deeply, a hollow place still present in his chest. Keith doesn't miss the residual sadness present in that small gesture, and the last thing he wants is for Lance to feel that way.

"Hey Lance," Keith pipes up, clutching his blankets to his chest.

"Hm?"

"What do you call John Watson when Sherlock isn't around?"

"...Huh?"

" _Holmeless_."

There is a stunned silence from the other end, and then Lance bursts into laughter. "Oh. My. God. Did you just make a joke? A _terrible_ joke? A _pun_?"

Keith chuckles softly, which warms Lance to his core. He doesn't get to hear that laugh often, so gentle and pure. "I looked it up. I wanted to help you feel better."

Lance grins at the sentiment. _He's so adorable._ "Thank you Keith."

"You're welcome." The dark-haired boy smiles to himself. "Want to hear some more?"

"Sure."

Lance and Keith stay on the phone together for a while after that, laughing quietly at cheesy jokes passed back and forth, whispered in each other's ears. Keith's yawns grow more and more frequent as time passes by, until his voice drifts off into nothingness, replaced by deep, even breaths of sleep.

"Good night, Keith."


	4. Chapter 4

Keith marches into the kitchen the following morning, fever gone, refreshed, and well-rested.

Shiro sips his coffee out of a mug that says _#1 Dad_ on it, white streak of hair falling in his piercing eyes.

"Good morning little bro," he greets Keith, as the boy stretches his arms over his head, basking in the sunlight that streams in through the window. "Are you feeling better?"

" _Immensely_ ," Keith replies, allowing himself a smile. "I slept for like, sixteen hours." Truthfully, part of his good mood is due to his conversation with Lance in the very early hours of the morning, sharing secrets and stupid jokes.

Shiro watches as Keith snatches up a bowl, dumping cereal and milk into it and starting to crunch on a bite. "That's great." Shiro nods, brow creasing as he delves into thought. "Who were you talking to late last night?"

Keith splutters and chokes on his bite of cereal, and Shiro bursts out laughing, burying his face in his hands as he takes in his brother's flustered state. " _No one_!" he insists, slamming his spoon down on the counter. "Jesus, Shiro, you're the worst."

Still chuckling at his brother's tantrum, Shiro watches with attentive eyes as Keith shovels the rest of his cereal into his mouth and dumps the bowl in the sink. "I'm going to the dojang to practice for a bit. I'll see you later." He grabs his bag with a dignified eye roll, stalking out of the kitchen.

"Love you!" Shiro calls after him, but is only met with a slam of the door.

Keith parks his bike in front of the studio where he practices tae kwon do, climbing down off of it. He has chosen a significantly less busy time to practice, and so he knows he won't be bothered by the little kid classes or beginners asking for help. Pushing through the door, Keith slips off his shoes and heads over to the mats, peering in to see who's around.

He halts when he sees who it is, awkwardness immediately seizing control of his senses and his limbs. Normally, he would try to quickly walk past into one of the other rooms, but he's been spotted, and can't get around it.

"Um—hi Zach," he mumbles, a hand flying up to his hair to tug at his ponytail nervously. The boy in question breaks into an easy grin, illuminating his painfully attractive features. Keith was once very infatuated with Zach—he's tall, with beautiful chocolate brown eyes, curls, dark skin without a single blemish, a radiant smile, and an overall kind aura. Zach is a red belt, lower than Keith, who is a black belt, which meant that Keith spent many nights helping him practice, and growing more and more fond of him. In the end, he backed out of Keith's request to go to prom with him at the last minute—an event Keith didn't even want to attend, he just wanted an excuse to be alone with him—and every interaction since has been incredibly awkward.

"Hey Keith," Zach answers. "Think you could help me with this board I need to break? I'm trying to test for my next belt and like...I'm really struggling."

Sighing, Keith nods, unable to turn down the request. "Okay. Come on."

Despite the fact that it's only been two months since the incident, the wounds still feel fresh. Keith just tries to get it out of his head and carry on with helping him. He doesn't have time to focus on such trivial things.

That is, until Zach speaks. "So, uh, Keith," Zach begins, following him down the hallway to the back closet. "I was wondering, maybe, if...you were free on Friday? If you wanted to go to the movies with me, or something?"

Keith freezes in place, stopping his walking completely. "Huh?" he squeaks.

"You know...like a date?"

The wheels in Keith's head turn viciously. His first instinct is to punch Zach in the face, but he considers that it might not be very socially acceptable. His second instinct, somehow, is even worse.

"Sorry. I can't go on a date with you," he blurts out, matter-of-factly. "I have a boyfriend now."

They're both silent, both equally as shocked. Keith can't believe he let those words leave his mouth, and he still refuses to turn around and face Zach in fear of what his expression may look like.

Finally, he speaks, putting a hand on Keith's rigid shoulder. "Really?" he asks gently. "Who?"

"Uh—" Realizing there's really no way of escaping it now, Keith grimaces and puts the final nail in his coffin. "Lance?"

Zach jumps backwards, stunned. "Wait, seriously?!" He laughs quietly, his chuckles echoing down the hallway. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought you and Lance were just friends."

Keith simply shrugs, mortified at his choice of words. _Why am I so awkward?I should've just said no._

"Listen..." Zach trails off, scratching at his neck nervously and averting his eyes to the floor. "I shouldn't have been such a dick to you, you know...turning you down back then. I guess I didn't realize how special you are. I'm sorry for everything, seriously."

Keith stares down at the floor as well, unsure of what to say. "U-um, thanks," he mutters, hands fidgeting restlessly at his sides. "Um. I have to...use the bathroom. I'll be back." Keith breaks into a near-sprint down the hallway, cursing under his breath as he goes.

•     •     •

Keith lays facedown on his bed, blasting Careless Whisper through his speaker with fans pointed directly at him. Lance would be giving him so much shit for this.

Groaning, Keith rolls over, throwing an arm over his sweaty face. He's told no one about his encounter with Zach, mainly out of sheer embarrassment. He certainly can't mention it to Lance.

There's a knock on his door. Shiro peeks his head in, quirking an eyebrow at Keith's disheveled state, and particular choice of music—not that it's out of the ordinary for Keith's taste, but still. "Hey," he greets the dismayed boy, smiling in amusement. "Want to go to lunch with me and Allura? She wants to get to know you better, and if you want, you can bring a friend so you're not a third wheel."

Keith sighs, blowing hair up from his face. "Sure, why not," he agrees. Rolling over onto his side, he snatches up his phone, proceeding to invite Pidge.

**pidge★彡: no can do. got a family thing. matt roped me into it. sorry /-: maybe you can ask lance? (-: <**

Pidge is definitely not sorry.

Sidetracking that option, Keith scrolls down to Hunk's name. The problem with only having three friends is that your options are very limited. Praying silently, he hits send and waits for Hunk's response.

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): That sounds super fun Keith! I won't be able to, though. I'm building my computer today and it's going to take me hours. Thanks for the invite :-) ♡**

With his options narrowed down to one, Keith caves and invites Lance.

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: hell yeahhhhh allura is hooootttt**

Sighing dramatically, Keith throws his phone towards the other side of the bed. He is doomed.

•     •     •

Lance and Keith sit in the backseat of Shiro's car, each on their phones with an awkward silence lingering between them. Soft music plays throughout the car, and Shiro and Allura make light conversation in the front.

Keith is texting Pidge, despite their family gathering. He has already informed them of Zach's asking him out, and now he breaks out the worse information.

**Keith: I accidentally told Zach that Lance is my boyfriend.**

**pidge★彡: HAHAHAHAHA**

**Keith: Don't laugh. This is terrible.**

**pidge★彡: nah it's hilarious**

**pidge★彡: but you know what you could do**

**Keith: What?**

**pidge★彡: you could go on that date and make lance jealous (-;**

Peering over at the boy beside him, who taps along to a song on his thighs, humming softly, Keith shakes his head. Lance wouldn't get jealous. He doesn't even see Keith in that way.

**Keith: I'm not doing that.**

**pidge★彡: oh come on, it would be so fun.**

**Keith: No it wouldn't. Besides, Lance doesn't even see me in that way.**

**pidge★彡: you never know (-;**

Ignoring this last message, Keith sets his phone down with a sigh, directing his gaze out the window as they drive down the highway.

Arriving in the parking lot of the restaurant, Lance hops out, stretching his arms above his head. A sliver of hazel-colored skin peeks out from underneath his t-shirt, and Keith averts his eyes to the pavement, feeling his cheeks flush.

They settle into a booth, Keith and Lance squished beside each other in the small space. Shiro and Allura discuss something amongst each other, laughter shared between them. A waiter comes over, retrieving their drinks.

"So, Lance and Keith," Allura begins, accent wrapping around her words. "How are things with you two?"

Keith shrugs, taking a long sip of his drink. He doesn't mean to come off as so aloof, but talking to people is _hard._

"Things are great," Lance replies. "How are things for you?"

"This is the best summer I've had in a while. It's nice to be in a new environment." Shiro smiles at this. "Hey Lance, I love your shirt by the way."

Gasping, the boy practically jumps out of his seat, before remembering his place and steadying himself. "Oh my god, you like the Power Rangers?"

"Of course!" Allura chirps, with a laugh. "It was one of my favorites when I was a kid."

Lance leans forward, his eyes widening. "Wow. I never knew you were this cool." Shiro chuckles at this sentiment as Lance continues. "Wait, so...where do you live when you're not staying here for the summer? And how do your parents feel?"

"I live in California, just a few hours from college. And I live with my uncle, who's been encouraging me to have new experiences for years. So, I thought, why not come here for a summer?"

"I see." Lance nods. All eyes are on Keith now, seeking out his response to Allura's original question.

Peering around the table at their prying eyes, Keith sets his drink down, wiping the condensation on his shorts.

"Um...I'm fine, I guess," he mumbles.

The waiter appears then, saving him from the awkward situation. Everyone places their orders, which distracts everyone from focusing on Keith, at least momentarily.

After they get their food, Keith dives into his macaroni and cheese with reckless abandon. "I could eat macaroni and cheese for every meal, every day," he says finally, attracting the attention of everyone else. Allura giggles at this, warm eyes crinkling.

"Why?" Lance quizzes, hiding laughter behind his palm. He knows about Keith's undying love for the cheesy pasta, but he just wants a further excuse to tease him.

"Because it's my favorite thing ever, geez," the boy mumbles, hiding beneath a curtain of hair.

Allura nods at this, a twinkle in her eye. "What else do you like, Keith?" she inquires curiously. Allura is absolutely stunning—silver curls cascading down her shoulders, illuminating her full lips and eyes that shine like sapphires. She's so beautiful it's intimidating.

"Nothing much, really." Keith pushes a noodle across his plate. "I like motorcycles. And...music, and movies. I don't know. Sorry, I'm shit at conversation."

"It's fine!" Allura laughs good-naturedly. "We'll talk later."

The four carry on eating, and Shiro and Allura engage in a conversation about college that doesn't involve Lance and Keith. Keith picks awkwardly at his food, finding himself suddenly blurting out, "Zach wants me to go on a date with him."

Lance nearly chokes on a bite of his burger, eyes bulging out of his head. "He _what_?" he practically screams.

"Wants me to go on a date with him," Keith mumbles, shrugging as if this isn't a big deal.

"Well, what did you tell him?" Lance's voice is still elevated, and Keith shoots him a look that does nothing to quell his obnoxious shock.

"I said...I said no."

Lance nods, an expression of satisfaction settling across his features. The flame of jealousy that sparked in his chest before dissolves into nothingness. "Good choice."

Quirking an eyebrow, Keith smirks at this response. "Oh, so you care about me that much, huh?"

Lance scoffs, hiding the rosy flush of his cheeks behind his hand. "You wish. I found you crying in your car after what Zach did, dude. Obviously I don't want that to happen again."

Now it's Keith's turn to blush. "Ugh, please don't bring that up," he groans, earning a chuckle from Lance.

Keith studies the creamy pasta on his plate, poking his fork at it. He considers Pidge's text from before, and decides to measure Lance's reaction to his next statement. "I just...maybe I should say yes? I mean...I liked him for so long, maybe I'd better give him a chance?"

Unable to keep a neutral expression, Lance finds himself fuming once again. Allura notices right at this moment, watching them both with attentive eyes.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Lance begins, an uneasy edge to his voice. "Like...what if you get hurt again?"

The dark-haired boy shrugs, brushing a piece of hair back from his eyes.

"Just don't go. It'll be a mistake." Lance can't help the desperation so evident in his tone, at wanting the boy to stay far away from anyone who could capture his affections, particularly Zach.

This irritates Keith beyond belief, and he meets Lance's gaze with an indignant scowl. "What are you, my mom?" he shoots back, rolling his eyes as he leans back into the plush booth. "I'm going. You can't convince me otherwise."

Locking a deathly glare towards his companion, Lance crosses his arms over his chest like a petulant child. "Do whatever you want then," he shoots back. "I will," Keith replies, taking a purposeful, irritated bite of his macaroni and cheese.

Shiro and Allura exchange a knowing look between each other. These boys are in deep.

•     •     •

Keith is stood outside of the dojang in black shorts and a purple plaid flannel with the sleeves rolled up, hair falling in his brooding eyes. He is waiting for Zach, who he has texted to meet him so he can "clear things up." From across the street he spots the familiar figure, muscular arms swinging at his sides, a white t-shirt clinging to his chest. Waving towards Keith, he bounds across the street, arriving so that he is a few feet away from the anxious boy.

"Hey!" he exclaims, flashing him a bright smile. "You wanted to talk?"

"Y-yeah. U-um..." Keith stares down at his sneakers, fiddling with the fingerless gloves on his pale hands. "I-I panicked, and...I lied, Lance isn't my boyfriend. I'm sorry. I was impulsive and...whatever, it doesn't matter. I'll go on a date with you."

Zach's eyes light up, a stunned expression cropping up amongst his features. "Really?"

Keith nods, trying for a smile. "Really..."

Zach breaks out into an easy grin. "Awesome! I'll pick you up on Friday, at eight?"

Keith nods in confirmation. With that, Zach bounds away back down the street, leaving Keith with a heavy, uneasy feeling in his gut.

•     •     •

"But isn't this wrong? Isn't this like...me leading him on?"

Keith speaks in frantic whispers to Pidge, who is on the other end, chuckling at Keith's every worry. It's Friday now, the day of his date, and his every cell is drenched in panic. "I mean, you're giving him a chance, right? You told me yourself, this isn't just motivated by Lance."

"That is true..." Keith shrugs, stopping his pacing of his room to seat himself on the edge of his bed. "But still. I shouldn't have changed my mind. I should've just left it at a no, I should've—"

"Keith!" Pidge interrupts him, sighing in exasperation. "Listen dude, everything's gonna be fine. If things don't work out with Zach, just be honest. Besides, Lance is totally jealous." They chuckle. "You've definitely succeeded in phase one."

" _Phase one_?" Keith flops backwards, staring up at the endlessly white ceiling. "Pidge, you're unreal."

They laugh softly on the other end. "It's what I do. Now go get ready for your date."

Quite a few houses down, Lance and Hunk lounge in Lance's room. A disgruntled Lance is pouring his heart out to a Hunk who listens with amused attentiveness, every so often giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"How could Keith be so cruel?" Lance whines, head resting on Hunk's knee. "I mean...I know he doesn't like me like that, but why go out with Zach? He knows what Zach did."

"Maybe he just wants to give Zach another chance," Hunk replies in a soothing tone, smoothing Lance's hair back from his eyes. "You can't be angry at him for not knowing how you feel."

Hunk is so level-headed and rational. It brings Lance right back to his senses. "Yeah, that's true," he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. "This is so stupid. I shouldn't have a crush on Keith anyway."

Hunk chuckles at this. "Alright, enough moping. Wanna play video games?"

Across town, Keith stands in front of the movie theater, chewing a nail nervously. _Why am I doing this? he wonders, placing his head in his hands. I should be at home, or out riding. Not here._

"Keith! Hey!" Zach startles him from his thoughts, towering above him in a white t-shirt and dark-washed jeans, a dogtag hanging around his neck. "Let's go in, shall we?"

As Keith chews idly on popcorn in the theater, he finds he can't focus on the movie in front of him. His mind is wandering endlessly, beyond the bright graphics of the screen and the fascinated viewers, and the boy next to him, whose arm rests tentatively around Keith's narrow frame. His thoughts are consumed by one boy, and one boy only—Lance. Nothing else feels significant when he thinks about Lance—his radiant smile, his perfectly messy, chocolate hair, his earnest eyes, his stupid laugh and stupid, stupid cocky personality—

_Jesus Christ, Keith. Calm down._

His chest feels tight and constricted suddenly, breathlessness seizing him. "I'm gonna use the bathroom," Keith says way too loudly, standing abruptly and practically running out of the theater.

Locked safely in a stall, Keith uses his inhaler, steadying his breathing as he is able to calm. Whipping out his phone, he finds Shiro's contact and immediately types out a message.

**Keith: I want to go home. Would it be mean to just leave?**

Shiro's reply is instant. 

**Shiro✌︎: Please don't do that. What's wrong?**

**Keith: Nothing. It's fine.**

**Shiro✌︎: Keith...**

Ignoring this last message, he sinks down to the floor, tucking his legs up to his chest.

It's been ten minutes of this anxious moping when there is a knock on the stall door. "Keith?" Zach's voice calls. "Hey, I know you have asthma...are you okay?"

Standing from his place on the floor, Keith takes a deep breath and wills himself to pull himself together.

Unlocking the door, he pushes it open to reveal the concerned boy, dark brown eyes filled with perplexed worry.

"Sorry. I'm okay," Keith mumbles, sighing as he buries his face in his hands. "Just conflicted."

"Conflicted?"

"Yeah...I feel like shit telling you this, but..." Keith trails off, letting out another sigh. "I...I...I really like Lance. I was trying to forget about it, but everyday it's just there more and more...I'm sorry, this is a date and I ruined it..."

For a moment, Zach is silent. Then he places a gentle hand on Keith's shoulder, allowing the dark-haired boy to train his eyes on the taller boy above him.

"You didn't ruin anything," Zach reassures him. "I'm just glad you're being honest. I just wanted to give you another chance, you know? I was shitty before. But listen, if you like Lance, this doesn't have to work. And I won't be upset if it doesn't. It's totally okay."

Keith breaks out into a genuine smile. "Thank you."

They finish the movie, and then walk to get ice cream, a natural amiability existing between them. After saying their goodbyes, Keith hops onto his motorcycle and rides away into the starry night, feeling freer than ever before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zach aka Zach from the secret life of bees because I'm unoriginal trash
> 
> Thanks everyone for all of the reads!!! ♡♡♡


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love writing lance's family they are all so beautiful and pure (-': also thank you to everyone for almost 1k reads!!! Maybe that's not much to some but it's a huge deal for me on here and I'm really happy that this has made that much of an impact! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this! ♡♡♡

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: hey i know it's late but can we talk on the phone**

Keith squints at his phone screen. It's been two hours since the end of his "date," and now he lounges in bed, analyzing anything and everything.

**Keith: As long as you're not still too mad to talk to me.**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: oh hush. it's fine just call me**

A moment later, Lance accepts a call from Keith. "Thanks," he whispers into the phone. It's midnight this time, significantly earlier than their first time on the phone late at night. Lance creeps into the basement, plopping down on the plush couch. "So. How was your _date_?"

Keith rolls his eyes, but he can't help the unwelcome smile that creeps up onto his face, making his heart race. "Um...it's not gonna work out," he says softly. "We just didn't...click, or whatever."

Relief flows through Lance instantly, washing over him in waves. "What did I tell you," he says in a smarmy tone, stifling a laugh at Keith's frustrated huff.

"But seriously. Sorry about that."

"It's fine. I don't mind."

There is a lasting silence between them, before Lance speaks.

"So...is your asthma doing better?" Lance clears his throat awkwardly. "I-I mean...lately?" 

Keith pauses momentarily. "Yeah, it's fine I guess." Another silence exists between them, before Keith speaks again, his voice soft and unsure. "You...you don't have to worry about me, you know."

"I worry anyway, dude." Lance's voice softens as well, deepening as he sinks into his insecurities.

"Sorry." Guilt washes over Keith in a huge wave, and he wraps his blanket more tightly around him.

"No, no, don't apologize," Lance interjects quickly, nearly dropping the phone in his haste. "It's fine. I just...I wanna make sure you're okay."

Now the silence really is awkward, coiling a shared discomfort around them. Lance searches for anything that could get their conversation back on track...

"Oh!" he shouts, startling Keith on the other end. "Wanna come to the park tomorrow? Stella's been begging me to invite you. You know you're her favorite, along with Hunk who's been insanely busy lately. And Pidge doesn't like small children...anyway you in?"

Keith laughs softly, something Lance doesn't hear often. It makes a warm, tickle feeling bloom in Lance's fingertips.

"Yeah, sure. Stella's the sweetest."

"Cool. Nico might come along too, and Vanessa and Luna and Jeremy. But it'll be chill."

"Okay." Keith nods, biting his lip to hide a grin, because he won't lie to himself—any excuse to see Lance is a pretty good one.

• • •

The sun beats down harshly on Lance's exposed skin, causing beads of sweat to crop up on his arms and soak his tank top. With one hand, he pushes a squirmy five-year-old girl on one swing, and with the other hand, a slightly older boy on the opposite swing. Vanessa chats with her husband, Jeremy, as Luna crawls back and forth between them, her delicate skin protected from the grass by a blanket.

"Oh my god it's Keith!" Stella screeches suddenly, pointing at the dark-haired boy as he rides in from a distance. Any chance to flaunt his motorcycle is a welcome one, and Lance finds himself rolling his eyes in a familiar disdain.

Hopping off the swing without warning, Stella teeters as her balance is thrown off, before she takes off running towards the boy who parks his bike, cherry red paint gleaming in the sunlight.

Keith is met by an incoming human missile that attacks his leg, latching on in a fit of giggles. Patting her pigtails, he bends down to greet her, chuckling at her smile that is missing two teeth.

"Whoa Keith!" Stella exclaims gleefully, big brown eyes like saucers. "You're so cool! Can I ride your bike too?!"

Laughing, Keith shakes his head slowly. "I can't promise you a ride, but I can let you sit up here," he answers gently. Stella nods excitedly, and so Keith hoists her up onto the bike, holding her steady as she swings her legs back and forth and fiddles with the handlebars.

"Vroom vroom!" Stella screams, leaning forward as her comically short arms barely reach the handlebars. She's so tiny in proportion to the giant bike, and Keith finds himself amused enough to fall into peals of laughter, caught off guard when Lance appears right behind him.

"Hey, quit being a bad influence on my sister," he teases, but his grin is so soft and his tone is so playful with a hint of gentleness, and suddenly Keith is breathless.

"When I grow up, I want a bike like _this_ ," Stella gushes, looking between the two boys who are standing closer together than usual, gazes focused on each other. Lance tears his gaze away to ruffle Stella's hair, lifting her off the bike. "Go have Nessa push you on the swings, okay?"

Smiling deviously up at the boys, Stella nods, too smart to miss the fact that her dismissal is an excuse for Lance and Keith to be alone.

Lance is so distracted, simply by Keith's appearance—he wears tight black pants and boots, topped with a black t-shirt, cutoff red jacket, and fingerless gloves. It's a signature look for Keith, but somehow it's more attractive than usual today—sometimes Lance forgets just how gay he is.

"Hey, uh..." Keith shrugs his jacket off, side-eyeing his bike awkwardly. "I still owe you a ride." Removing his helmet, he smoothes his hair down, unruly strands that stick out of his ponytail. Lance is blown away by how effortlessly _hot_ he is.

Lance forces a laugh, trying to forget his feelings momentarily. "Yeah...don't think I forgot."

"Well...we'll have to go sometime, you know."

Lance nods, unwelcome smile creeping up onto his face. "Yeah."

Stella and Nico huddle together in the distance, making kissy noises in Lance and Keith's direction. Vanessa rolls her eyes at the children's antics, but watches the boys equally as attentively—Lance is all dopey smiles and obvious blushes, and she can't help but wonder if they realize how far gone they are.

• • •

"Hey, do you remember that time when Hunk beat everybody at dodgeball in gym class?"

Keith and Lance swing idly beside each other, reliving childhood memories under the powerful light of the sun. Nico and Stella play in the nearby playground under the watch of Vanessa and Jeremy, who watch over Luna simultaneously.

"Oh my god, yeah!" Keith exclaims in return to Lance's inquiry, an easy grin staying present on his features. "He got pissed because those guys took out you and me at the same time. Hunk is nobody to be messed with."

"He's awesome," Lance replies, laughing to himself. "He and Pidge won that robotics competition three times in a row. And those times you spelled those super hard words in front of the class when the teacher kept challenging you...I have such smart friends."

"Hey." Keith frowns in slight indignance, focusing on the boy beside him, chocolate-colored hair falling in his eyes in a familiar, insecure way that makes Keith's heart beat a little faster in his chest. He punches him in the arm softly. "You're smart too."

It's not often that Keith delivers compliments, and this grabs Lance's attention, that familiar warmth blooming throughout his entire body. "Tch, whatever man," he dismisses the compliment, feeling his medium-brown skin burn with a fiery red blush. "You're just saying that."

"No." Keith's tone is firm, unwavering. "Just because your ADHD makes it hard for you to do well in school doesn't mean you're not really smart. 'Cause you are."

Unsure of how to respond to such an earnest sentiment, Lance just nods. "Thanks," he mumbles.

Their hands exist in the small space between the swings, bumping intermittently as they sway back and forth. They're both content to leave things this way, but Lance finds a boldness seize control of his inhibitions. With the slowness of a snail, he inches his pinky finger towards the other boy's, and in one swift motion, hooks the tiny digits together.

Keith freezes, practically jumping out of his skin—it's his turn to blush profusely, his mind racing with a million thoughts, heart trying to keep up with his flood of emotions. His eyes travel to their hands, dark skin against light, rainbow string bracelets decorating Lance's wrist that contrast with Keith's gloved hand, and the bandaid that wraps around the tip of Keith's pinky finger, rough against the calloused edge of Lance's fingertip. His heart is full to bursting, and beside him, Lance is close to hyperventilating, though he maintains his composure, avoiding Keith's gaze with a wobbly smile invading his features. It's perfectly awkward, perfectly wonderful, and perfectly _imperfect._ Neither boy makes a move to pull away, coexisting in a shared atmosphere of raw emotion, one that they are mutually unaware of.

Of course, their moment is cruelly interrupted by an eventual bombardment of excited children, and their link is torn away, just for the moment.

• • •

Lance is knocking incessantly on Hunk's door. His parents are away for the weekend, so Lance finds he can be as obnoxious as possible, not that he wouldn't be usually.

"Hunk! Open up, man, this is so important!"

The door swings open with a vengeance, and there Hunk stands in all his six feet of glory, adorned in bunny slippers and matching pink bunny print pajamas. "What's going on?" he protests, squinting at the harsh light of the sun. "I was up all night, I've been sleeping."

"No time for sleep!" Lance barges past him and into the house, kicking off his sneakers as he goes. "Me and Keith _sort of_ held hands!"

"You what?" This causes Hunk to scrub at his eyes, laden with deep purple bags from nights of lost sleep. "Am I hearing you right?"

"Yes!" Lance exclaims, practically bouncing off the walls. "We were sitting at the park, talking, and he said I was smart, and I said thanks, and then...I don't know, I felt like, this rush of adrenaline, and then I like...we held hands but just with our pinkies. I didn't wanna rush it or anything."

Hunk grins, flashing Lance a big mouth full of pearly whites. "Good job buddy! It's so cute, seeing you and Keith get so close."

Lance sighs, shaking his head. He's still as oblivious as ever, though— _could Keith seriously like me?_

Hunk whips up bacon, eggs, pancakes, and fruit, sliding a plate over to Lance across the table, along with a glass of orange juice. Breakfast food for dinner is Lance's favorite—which Hunk knows, having spent over a decade with his quirky friend.

"I don't think anything's gonna happen between us, though," Lance admits, chomping on a piece of bacon. "I mean...this is Keith we're talking about. His one true love is _Mothman_."

Hunk snorts, tossing a strawberry in Lance's direction. "Come on, you can't possibly believe he doesn't like you."

"Friends hold hands sometimes." Lance shrugs, attempting to stay casual.

"Oh my god, Lance. He keeps trying to impress you with his motorcycle, he plays with your siblings, he holds your hand and compliments you...it can't get clearer than that."

Rolling his eyes, the stubborn, lanky brunette boy stabs at a pancake with his fork. "He's played with my little siblings since we became friends. You know he shows off his motorcycle to everyone, and earlier he was just trying to be nice. That proves nothing."

Hunk simply scoffs, shaking his head. "Fine, stay in denial," he chuckles. "I'll still be here whenever you have relationship troubles. You're lucky I'm your best friend and I love you."

Lance returns home after a round of video games with Hunk, watching the summer sun dip beneath the horizon. The scene keeps replaying in his head, and each time he feels warmer, despite the cool air surrounding him.

•     •     •

Shiro has sent Keith on a very important mission: walk to the grocery store and buy milk. Of course, this means walk the straight line across town to the grocery store, retrieve the item, and walk back. These directions exclude the inevitable detour Keith takes into Lance's backyard.

Sneakers crunching on the dry grass, Keith steps timidly into the small space behind Lance's house, head bowed. His ears meet a pleasant, harmonic sound—the strumming of a guitar, and the melding of voices, blending beautifully together.

Looking up, Keith observes Lance sitting on the back porch with his acoustic guitar cradled in his arms, strumming a rhythm as his voice swells above the rest. Beside him sits Mariana, his fourteen-year-old sister, singing fluid, high-pitched harmonies to accompany her brother's melodies. Stella perches on Lance's other side, thumping a beat on the side of his guitar. She sings along as well, her voice quiet and childlike among the rest.

Keith remains locked in place under the hot son, watching Lance sing with unwavering attentiveness. Other thoughts fade into the background, until his only focus is the boy in front of him, who sings with such a clear, steady voice that captures each note beautifully, and a passionate state of mind.

That is, until Stella notices their guest, yipping in delight. "Keith!" she hollers, jumping to her feet and waving her arms wildly in his direction. Lance and Mariana pause their singing, both glancing up in surprise at the dark-haired boy's presence.

"Hey!" Lance pipes up, waving him over to them. Mariana flashes him a shy grin, hiding beneath a curtain of wavy hair. She has always been painfully shy, even around those she knows well.

"Hey, uh...y-you guys sounded really great," Keith stammers, shrugging awkwardly. He hasn't seen Lance since three days prior, in the park, and isn't sure how to go about things.

"Thanks," Lance chimes in, hugging each girl to his side. "I just love to sing with my sisters." Releasing them from the embrace to which they are all smiles, he points to the screen door. "Hey, go help Mama with lunch okay?"

" _Fine_ ," Stella huffs, and she and Mariana scurry away from the steps, leaving Lance and Keith alone.

"What brings you here?" Lance quizzes, setting his guitar down and patting the space next to him. Keith slides into the space on the creaky wooden porch step, maintaining a small distance from Lance.

"I...I was walking to the grocery store, and...I don't know...wanna come with me?"

"Sure." Lance nods, keeping his tone casual, even though his heart pounds like a tiger fighting to escape its cage.

The screen door opens with a squeak, and Lance's mother peeks out, strands of dark curls falling out of her messy bun and fire in her warm brown eyes. "Lance!" she calls, before noticing Keith sitting beside him. "Oh, Keith, _mijo_ , are you here to eat lunch with us?" Her tone is gentle and endearing now, a smile brightening her features.

"Oh, um...I—"

"Come in, I'll set up a plate for you."

Unable to protest, Keith follows Lance and his mother inside, slipping off his sneakers and leaving them at the door.

Inside the house is chaotic, but it feels like home. Each family member piles into the huge table, eating heaping plates of food with smiles on their faces. Nico, Stella, and Marco, Mariana's twin brother, race to see who can finish their plate of food first, while Mariana ends up being the winner anyway, beaming at her glory. Jeremy, Vanessa's husband, feeds Luna baby food as the baby gurgles and laughs and pushes him away. Lance's mom, Elisa, and Vanessa have a conversation at regular volume amongst the noise, and Ricky and Lance argue about something insignificant. Keith remains silent, taking in the atmosphere.

Keith is not at all a big eater, but he eats all that is given to him anyway. Lance's mom is the best cook in the entire universe, as far as he is concerned.

The meal is finished soon enough and each family member gets to work washing dishes and wiping down the table, putting leftover food away in containers.

Keith finds Elisa and thanks her earnestly for the meal, to which she wraps him up in a comforting embrace. "Anytime, _mijo._ You know you're always welcome."

There is a tight grip on Keith's arm, and then Lance is leading him away, barely giving him a chance to say goodbye.

"Sorry to drag you away like that. I wanted to escape before she made me clean. She's mad because I fed Bella people food this morning, and Papa said she got sick." Bella is the family's dog. She's a Rottweiler who showers Keith in kisses every time she sees him. Lance's father brings her to work with him every day.

"You gave her something spicy, didn't you." Keith rolls his eyes at Lance's antics.

"Shut up, I wasn't thinking." Lance shoves Keith so his balance is thrown off, and he wobbles a little before regaining his composure.

"So why didn't you bring Pigeon with you?" Lance pipes up, genuinely curious about Keith's answer. Of course, he is feeling immensely distracted by Keith's short red athletic shorts and black t-shirt with tiny alien faces printed on it. His hair is messy, too, pulled into a haphazard ponytail like he has just rolled out of bed. How is it possible to look so good without even trying?

"Because, I..." Keith trails off, averting his eyes to the ground shyly. "I don't mind seeing your stupid face sometimes."

Lance snorts, ignoring the way his heart leaps up into his throat, his nerves a jumbled mess.

"Well..." Punching him lightly in the arm, Lance catches his eye, flashing him a tiny smile. "I guess I can tolerate seeing your dumb face sometimes too."

In that moment, there are nothing more than the purest feelings shared between them, each admiring each other in the sunlight. And even though it's just for a small errand—retrieving milk from the store—Lance and Keith hold the memory of their walk close to their hearts for a long time afterwards.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for 1k!!! Ahhh I can't believe my stupid little story got this much recognition ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ I appreciate it so much and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!!!!!

Anxiety is a bitch.

Lance knows this as much as anyone else does, except amplified by a thousand.

After two near-sleepless nights in a row, he is not in a good place at all. Staying buried beneath a mountain of blankets, he ignores his texts, he ignores Ricky attempting to yank him out of bed for breakfast, and he ignores everything except for the throbbing pain in his head from sleep deprivation.

Squinting at his phone screen, he views texts in his group chat with Hunk, Keith, and Pidge. Each one is worried about his two day silence.

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): Hey Lance, buddy, are you okay? Just checking in.**

**pidge★彡: you better not be dead. i'll be pissed. if you are though i'm raiding your collection of video games c: <**

**Keith: Shut up Pidge.**

**pidge★彡: oh hush. we all know you're worried about lance the most. (-:**

**Keith: Shut the fuck up Pidge.**

The conversation ends there, but Lance notices he still has messages elsewhere. His heart jolts in his chest, performing an uncoordinated series of thumps as he sees that they're from Keith, this time in a chat just between the two of them.

**Keith: Uhhhh...if you need to talk or whatever, you can talk to me.**

**Keith: I mean..if you want to. You don't have to.**

**Keith: Like even if it's at 3 AM or whatever. I don't mind.**

**Keith: If you need to talk in person you can come over. I just went to tae kwon do and ate lunch with Zach (strictly non-romantic btw). I'm at home for the rest of the day. So like...you can show up whenever. No pressure.**

**Keith: We can play UNO again and take your mind off of it. Haha. Sorry, I'm probably bothering you. I'll leave you alone now.**

His messages stop there. Sitting up in bed, Lance is suddenly determined, having a sole purpose for the day. He is going to see Keith.

•     •     •

After a long, hot shower that causes his siblings to bang on the bathroom door in protest, Lance is on FaceTime with Hunk to explain his absence while simultaneously choosing an outfit to see Keith. Being the sweet, human version of a teddy bear that he is, Hunk promises to give him a giant hug the next time they see each other. He then approves Lance's outfit: a baggy white t-shirt with galaxy print shorts.

Arriving in the kitchen, Lance's mother sweeps her son up into a hug, reaching up to plant a kiss on his temple. The boy towers over her, so this is quite a task.

" _Mijo_ ," Elisa whispers, her tone gentle and full of motherly concern. " _¿Que pasa?_ "

" _Estoy bien_ , Mama," Lance responds, forcing a little laugh. "I promise."

Holding him away from her at arm's length, she analyzes his drained features with a frown. "I don't believe you," she sighs, "but okay." Patting his arm, she turns away. "Tell Keith hello for me."

"I will. Later, Mama." Bypassing the prying eyes of his younger siblings, Lance dashes from the house, making his way down the block to Keith's house.

Keith is startled by a knock at the front door as he lounges in the living room, hopping to his feet to answer it. Shiro is out with Matt and Allura, and so he takes his time walking to the door, not having to worry about racing his brother to see who it is.

Peering through the warped glass window, he gazes upon a lanky figure that could only be Lance, standing with his hands shoved in his pockets. Unlocking the door, a wave of heat smacks him like a brick wall, and he is face to face with his brunette friend, the skin surrounding his eyes a worrying shade of plum purple.

"Hey," Lance speaks, attempting a smile. Any semblance of anxiety melts away momentarily as he gazes upon his dark-haired friend, hair in a tiny, messy bun and adorned in a Breakfast Club t-shirt with short black shorts and purple socks. It's almost too much.

"Hi." Keith's voice is barely a whisper, and he clears his throat awkwardly, opening the door wider to allow Lance space to enter. "Come in, if you want?"

Nodding, Lance steps inside, kicking off his shoes onto the rug by the door. Keith's eyes are on him, measuring his friend's mood.

"So, when are your parents coming back?" Lance inquires, spotting a childhood picture of an unsmiling Keith in a sweater, stood next to Shiro and their parents.

"Oh, um..." Shrugging, Keith stares down at his socks. "By the end of the summer. They're doing their photography stuff right now. Then they're visiting my dad's parents in Japan for a while. They'll be gone for a long time, but...that's okay."

Keith's parents are constantly traveling. They're nature photographers, and the summer months have always been their busiest.

"Anyway, are you hungry?" Keith changes the subject quickly, pointing towards the kitchen.

Wrinkling his nose, Lance shakes his head. "Nah, I'm good. Let's play UNO like you promised."

Keith smiles at this—it's a small, rare gesture that brightens his indigo eyes and in turn, the whole room around them. Lance is immensely grateful he decided to come see Keith.

"Sure," he replies with an eager nod, still smiling. "Come on."

So they delve into the card game with reckless abandon, their competitive rivalry rising from the depths of their previous, friendly interactions. This includes lots of yelling and semi-violent physical contact, until Keith is a flustered mess and Lance is grinning smugly, having won.

"I demand a rematch," Keith insists, but he's chuckling, his cheeks tinged cherry red from both fury and amusement. Lance just can't get over how cute he is when he laughs, the way his eyes get all squinty and dimples form in his cheeks, and how much he wants to kiss his stupid, _stupid_ face...

"Lance?" Keith is nudging his arm, suddenly concerned. Snapping back to reality, he forces a smile. "I'm fine," Lance insists. "Let's...let's rematch."

• • •

Keith is curled up on one end of the couch, dozing off as old cartoons play on the TV. On the other end, Lance is wide awake, wishing they could cuddle, wishing Keith could kiss away the tightening knot in his stomach, or the persistent pain in his chest...

"Uh—" Lance chokes on a syllable as he attempts to speak, rousing Keith from his near-slumber. Scrubbing at his eyes, the dark-haired boy focuses his attention on his friend beside him.

"Lance?" Keith's voice is distant, still groggy from sleep. "Are...you okay?"

"Um...I don't—" Cutting himself off, Lance feels a crushing weight on his chest, and drowning in his anxiety, he falls into the depths of himself.

Lance doesn't remember when he starts crying, only recognizes the way the tears streak his cheeks, and the sheer panic that racks his body and restricts his breathing. Then suddenly Keith is gripping his shoulders, panic in his own eyes.

And then there are arms around him, tentative at first but then gripping him tightly. Lance slumps against the other boy's chest, his breaths evening out. Keith smells like strawberries and laundry detergent. Both of these are soothing enough to calm Lance's racing heart, and the boy's steady grip around him is a silent reassurance that he is going to be okay.

Lance stays secured in Keith's arms as he shivers from the residual anxiety. The close proximity is nice. He isn't sure he has the willpower to pull away, and Keith feels the exact same.

Reality hits them both immensely, and Lance yanks himself away abruptly, sniffing awkwardly. "Um. Sorry," he mumbles with a shrug.

"It's okay!" Keith insists, indigo eyes widening. "Um...wanna take a walk, or something?"

Lance nods, heaving a resigned sigh. "Sure."

•     •     •

Cicadas chirp in the distance, filling the silence between the boys as they walk. A bead of sweat drips down the side of Keith's face, and he stares at his shoes as they slap the pavement. His eye catches the tiny yellow dandelions that line the grass beside him, and fill the gaps between the sidewalk.

"Dandelions are so misunderstood, don't you think?" Keith speaks, breaking the silence. "I mean...they're pretty in their own way, even if everybody just sees them as weeds." Pausing, Keith looks over, seeing that a tentative smile has bloomed on Lance's face. "...What?"

"Nothing," Lance says quietly, a little laugh spilling from his lips. He is uncharacteristically subdued, with good reason. "Just...I've never thought about them, in that way."

They pass by Lance's house, where they can hear enthusiastic screams coming from the backyard. Keith gestures in that direction, quirking an eyebrow. "Do you wanna...go home? Since we're here?" Mentally scorning himself for sounding like he wants to get rid of Lance, Keith impatiently awaits the boy's response.

"Nah..." Lance trails off, shrugging as he kicks up a cloud of dusty dirt on the side of the grass. "I wanna be alone right now. At least...mostly. You're fine." Keith can't suppress the flutter of butterflies in his stomach at this sentiment, smiling up at the bright blue sky.

It's evening, but neither of them is particularly hungry. Despite this fact, they still get burgers and sit on the curb in an empty parking lot, the sun drooping lower and lower in the sky. For once, they don't need to bicker or exchange teasing words for their interactions to feel natural. They coexist in a shared silence, listening to the cars rush by.

"Do you ever wish you could trade lives with someone, just for one day?" Keith inquires softly as they make their way back home, now through a blanket of darkness. Streetlights guide their way, giving them a path through the night.

"Sure I do," Lance replies, nodding earnestly. "I would trade lives with that girl who works at the ice cream shop, with the big boobs."

" _Lance_!" Keith shoots back, temper firing up immediately as the taller boy laughs obnoxiously beside him. "You're a fucking idiot."

"I'm not trying to be creepy!" he argues through stifled laughter. "I just wanna know what it's like!"

Rolling his eyes dramatically, Keith shakes his head in exasperation, but can't help but find himself amused by the return of Lance's usual antics.

"No, but seriously," Keith begins again, his voice lowering as his insecurities creep back in. "I wish I could...trade lives with someone who has always had a family. Like...a big one. Like—yours." Going rigid with his words, Keith speeds up his walking pace, skipping up the steps to his porch as Lance struggles to keep up with him.

The smile falls from Lance's face as the words sink in. They've reached Keith's doorstep. Suddenly embarrassed by his words, the dark-haired boy turns away and unlocks the door with shaking hands, pushing it open and starting to step inside. "Anyway, it's getting kinda late, if you—"

A hand grabs Keith's wrist, gripping it tightly. He pauses, freezing in place.

"Keith," Lance speaks, and it's so soft in the silence that his breath hitches in his throat.

Keith doesn't turn around, doesn't acknowledge the sound that falls from Lance's lips. "Keith, come on," Lance urges, tugging at his wrist insistently.

Shaking his head rapidly, Keith gnaws at his lip, trying to prevent the flow of tears that sting his eyes like tiny, vengeful bees. He hurts to his core, as if his very beating heart has burned a hole in his chest.

"Dude." Lance drops his wrist, touching Keith's shoulder gently. He flinches. "J-just ignore me," Keith stammers, blinking as the tears flow down his cheeks. "I...was being s-stupid."

"No you weren't. Keith..." Lance steps so that he is directly in front of the boy, tilting his chin up with a delicate finger. Observing Keith's tear-stained cheeks and deep-set frown in the dim light, he has the sudden and inconceivable urge to kiss him.

_But that would be selfish_ , he concludes. Instead, he lets Keith collapse into his arms and sob into his shoulder, saying nothing. Being there is enough.

• • •

Lance doesn't want to go home.

He is content to share a blanket with Keith, lying on opposite ends of the couch. His legs brush against Keith's socked feet, but neither of them making a move to prevent this contact.

Lance's phone buzzes, startling him out of a near sleep.

**Are you still at Keith's? Mama is wondering. xx ~Vanessa**

Hesitating with his response, his fingers move quickly across the keyboard.

**i think i'm just going to stay. let her know for me? i'll be back in the morning. tell her i'm sorry if she's angry.**

**She's not angry. Have a good night. (-:**

**good night ♡**

Turning to the boy across from him on the small couch, he observes how vulnerable Keith is in this light—the glow of the TV exposes his puffy eyes from crying, and the fatigued frown that rests on his face. As much as Keith hides how he really feels, Lance knows how much he hurts.

He's glad Keith doesn't feel like he has to to hide it around him.

"Hey." Nudging the boy curled up beside him, Keith sits up, rubbing the blur of sleep from his tired eyes. "Hmm?" Keith answers, his hair adorably messy in its bun.

"Are you feeling better?" he inquires over the TV. "I mean...from earlier."

Keith is silent for a moment, his shoulders slumped as he stares down at his lap. "Yeah, I'm fine," he says eventually, voice a monotone. "It's just...your mom...she let me eat lunch with you guys, and then gave me a hug the other day. And she's so nice. She treats me like a son. And like...I feel like my own parents...Shiro's parents...don't even want me around sometimes." His tone is so defeated, and Lance feels his heart sink with Keith's sorrow.

"I just try to stay out of the way. They love Shiro. He's their biological son, and they're proud of him for everything he does. Shiro really is my brother. But...I've always come second. And it feels selfish to complain because I used to bounce from house to house, always in the way, always a burden...at least I have a place now, you know?" Keith sniffs in disapproval, directed towards himself. "Sometimes...I just get so lonely."

Lance knows it's selfish. He knows the thought shouldn't even be crossing his mind, but staring at Keith, emotions completely exposed to the tiny space contained in their universe, he wants to kiss him again.

They're close enough that Lance is able to reach out, cradling Keith's face in unsteady hands. Both boys shiver at the touch. A tear drips down Keith's nose delicately as each boy leans in closer, the tension thickening between them. Lance holds his breath, before their lips meet in tentative yearning, hesitant in the unfamiliar action.

Immediately receptive, however, Keith moves in closer, their knees bumping awkwardly. Their lips fit together in a clumsy, inexperienced way, but both boys are plagued by incessant butterflies, and Lance is afraid they might burst from his chest. Separating briefly for air, Keith only moves even closer, his arms coming around Lance's back and gripping his t-shirt, the contact becoming overwhelming.

At some point, Lance ends up on his back, tangled up in the blankets. He can think of nothing else except for Keith, and the kisses they share, dizzying in their nature. The TV is long forgotten, blaring in the distance. Everything drifts into their periphery, until there is nothing more than each other.

•     •     •

Keith jolts awake. He is secured neatly in the blanket from the night before, still lying on the plush couch. Peering around the room, he finds no trace of Lance—the scattered UNO cards still remain, but his phone and keys are no longer on the table.

Scrubbing at his eyes, a flood of memories startles him fully awake—memories of kissing Lance, and kissing Lance, and _kissing_ Lance—and shortly afterwards, dozing off with his head on Lance's chest, falling asleep to the hum of the TV and the soft thudding of Lance's heart.

"What the _fuck_?!" the boy yelps into the empty room, his tone incredulous.

"Keith?" a familiar, deep voice inquires from the kitchen. "Is everything okay?"

Standing from his place on the living room couch, Keith treads with a purpose into the kitchen. He finds Shiro and Allura, sitting beside each other at the round table. Allura slurps a bowl of ramen, wearing an oversized t-shirt that Keith recognizes as one of Shiro's. Her silver hair is tied back, eye makeup smudged as she sends a smile in Keith's direction.

Quirking an eyebrow at his brother, who eats his bowl of cereal calmly, Keith slides into a chair, clearing his throat awkwardly as Shiro looks up.

"Is everything okay?" he repeats, puff of white hair falling in his face. "I let Lance out for you. He didn't want to wake you up." Taking a casual sip of his coffee, Shiro gazes upon the younger boy with expectant eyes.

Sputtering and choking on his words, Keith clenches his fists, nausea washing over him in a wave. "W-well, what? What did he say to you?" he stammers, indigo eyes wide with terror.

"Nothing much. Just good morning, and said he was leaving. I offered to let him out, and he said he didn't want to wake you, and I said that was fine, and then I let him out. That was it. But...it seems like something's wrong."

Chewing his lip uneasily, Keith stares at the wooden table, the tiny scratches deep on the surface. "I...I just..." Eyes flitting back and forth from Allura's kind gaze to Shiro's questioning one, Keith suddenly feels overwhelmingly self-conscious. "I just...n-nothing."

They remain silent. Neither of them believes him.

"Well, feel free to come to me if you need to," Shiro says eventually, standing and tossing his empty bowl and mug into the sink. "I'm gonna take a shower." Traipsing away down the hall, a door shuts with startling finality, and Keith and Allura are alone.

Smiling with utmost friendliness, Allura focuses curious sapphire eyes upon Keith, reaching over and patting his hands. They're clutched tightly together, knuckles going white at his grip.

"It's kind of nerve-wracking coming to your family members for advice. I get it," she speaks, voice full of understanding. "But...if there is anything on your mind, anything at all, I won't say a word to Shiro about it."

Keith considers this offer. "Well...I have a problem," he mumbles, feeling his cheeks set on fire with embarrassment.

Allura leans forward. "I'm all ears."

So Keith relays the events of the previous day to the girl, who listens attentively, nodding along to his every word. Finally, he reaches the most important part of his story: "...okay, so then we kissed, for a _while_ , and I don't know, I guess it was kind of a mutual thing...I was really upset, I wasn't thinking straight...I don't know, he probably hates me now." Shoulders slumping with the realization, Keith stares down at his unsteady hands, gripping each other for dear life.

"I said I was lonely. Is that why he kissed me? Was it to make me feel better?"

Measuring her words carefully, Allura mulls the situation over in her head. "He doesn't hate you, Keith." Her tone is earnest, locking eye contact with the boy across from her. "He's one of your close friends. He really cares about you, it seems. Is that not sweet? He saw you were upset and he didn't go home. Out of all the friends he could've come to see when his anxiety was bad, he picked you. Doesn't that say something?" Keith is silent, nodding slowly at the weight of her words.

"And besides...if you really feel like he doesn't like you in that way, don't let a kiss ruin this friendship. Or however many kisses. Okay? I know how important he is to you. It's going to be okay. I promise."

Keith smiles. It's a small, fleeting smile, but a smile nonetheless. Now he knows precisely why Allura is Shiro's best friend, alongside Matt at least. "You're right. Thank you. For listening, and for the advice."

"It's no problem. I'm sure you'll make the right choice." Standing, she grabs her bowl, placing it in the sink. "I've gotta get home. It was nice to see you!"

"You too." Keith nods, attempting another smile in her direction. "Um...bye."

Sending a small wave towards him, Allura disappears down the hall. For the first time that morning, Keith is able to take a deep breath.

He trusts her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the reads! I'm so happy ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ I'm sorry this has taken so long! I hope you all like it (-:

Keith hasn't left the house in a week.

Contrary to Allura's fantastic advice, he panics the moment he opens Lance's contact on his phone, and avoids it for the rest of the week, while avoiding all civilization except for his brother.

Pidge is the driving force behind his reemergence into the world:

**pidge★彡: what hell are you doing?! you're missing out on quality friend bonding time this week. the three of us played video games at hunk's house. but you didn't show up (¬_¬)**

**Keith: I told you! I need a better strategy to see Lance again.**

**pidge★彡: no "strategies." he's your friend, and i'm not letting you avoid him. even if you two are totally oblivious...**

**Keith: What?**

**pidge★彡: ugh, nothing...just come meet me at the pool tomorrow?**

**Keith: I thought you hated swimming?**

**pidge★彡: whatever. just meet me.**

**Keith: Okay then...**

Pushing open the gate to the local pool in a t-shirt and swim trunks, Keith observes his surroundings, searching for his carrot-headed friend. Before he even has a chance to react, a pair of skinny arms have wrapped around his neck as someone hoists themselves into Keith's back. Keith screams out in horror and transforms into defense mode, preparing for confrontation, until he hears a familiar, maniacal laugh in his ear.

"Your reaction was priceless!" Pidge howls, throwing their head back in fits of laughter.

"I didn't know it was you!" Keith yelps in protest, his voice cracking awkwardly. "Get off me, you weirdo."

Hopping down from Keith's back, both friends take a moment to observe each other's attire—Keith adorned in his red swim trunks and a black t-shirt, and Pidge in a lime green wetsuit.

"Alright, come on, we'll get a nice spot." Pidge grabs Keith's wrist and tugs him along, into the sea of white pool chairs and humans under the sun.

Smiling mischievously to themselves, Pidge heads in Lance and Hunk's direction with utmost determination.

Meanwhile, Lance is the epitome of panic. "What is he doing here?" he hisses, ducking behind Hunk in a futile attempt to hide himself.

"Listen...you and Keith are friends," Hunk sighs, prying the brunette boy out from behind him. "I'm not letting you two avoid each other because you made out once at his house."

"In case you haven't noticed, that's a big deal," Lance continues, sweeping a hand across his face. "He hasn't texted me or anything. I wouldn't be surprised if he hates me now."

"Don't be silly. He won't hate you." Nudging Lance's shoulder, Hunk gestures roughly in their direction. "Here he comes."

Keith stops in his tracks, spinning around to face Pidge in utmost horror. "Is that Lance with Hunk?!" he practically screams, panic making his blood run frigid. "No, we gotta go, you planned this—"

"Keith." Pidge grabs hold of his wrist firmly, their tone stern and unforgiving. "You need to snap out of it. This is one of your friends. Put what happened aside because your friendship is more important than that." Unwrapping their hand from his wrist, Pidge nudges him forward. "You can do this."

Sighing deeply, Keith swipes a hand over his face, grinding his teeth together. "I guess you're right," he mumbles. On wobbly, unsteady legs, he proceeds forward, towards the pair across the way.

Lance can't pry his eyes from the sidewalk as Keith and Pidge approach, staring at Keith's black sneakers and Pidge's lime green toenails, gleaming in the sunlight.

"Hey friends!" Pidge shouts, cutting through the silence. Lance looks up, startled, only to meet eyes with the dark-haired boy, a wave of butterflies traveling through him like an electric shock.

"Hey Pidge! Hey Keith! It's been a while." Hunk wraps Keith into a bear hug before he can protest, squeezing him tightly against his broad chest. The smaller boy just laughs and returns the gesture, grateful at Hunk's overwhelming kindness.

"Hey Hunk," Keith greets him, grinning as he releases him from the embrace. Eyes flitting over to the brunette boy, hands tucked into his shorts pockets, Keith chews his lip awkwardly. "Um...hi Lance."

"Hey Hunk!" Pidge tugs on his arm like an insistent child, round glasses glinting mischievously in the sunlight. "Can you come with me to buy everybody drinks? I only have two hands."

Knowing exactly what they're plotting, Hunk nods with an innocent smile, ignoring the desperate glares Lance is sending his way. "Of course!" The pair disappear, leaving Lance and Keith completely alone amongst the crowd.

Lance's t-shirt is sticking to his back with sweat, and he's dying to get it off and jump into the pool, but Keith's presence beside him is making him increasingly self-conscious. Being the one to break the silence, he blurts out, "Wanna swim?"

Keith shrugs, avoiding Lance's hopeful gaze. "Sure."

Neither boy makes a move to get into the pool, however. Keith sits and fiddles with a shoelace, and Lance pretends to rifle through his bag for something. They're both praying for something to dissolve the awkwardness that now exists between them, trapping them in a mutual standstill.

Lance isn't sure what possesses him, but the moment Keith pulls his shirt off, his hands are on the boy's pale back, sending him flying into the pool with a violent shove.

Keith is submerged in cold water in an instant, flailing his limbs as he tries to reach the surface. Sputtering for air as he finally regains his place above the water, he scrubs at his eyes, squinting in the harsh sunlight as he searches for Lance. All his nervousness is gone, now replaced with blazing irritation.

"What the fuck, Lance?!" Keith screeches once he identifies the brunette boy, who is in peals of laughter on the ground, eyes squeezed shut as he writhes with each laugh. A nearby parent flinches at Keith's language, dragging her child away with a scowl.

"I...I...c-couldn't resist!" Lance gasps between laughter. Swimming over to where he lies by the edge of the pool, Keith grabs his ankle and yanks him into the water as well, smirking at his terrified scream.

Of course, chaos ensues—there is shoving, and kicking, and strangled shouts; a mutual frustration is mixed with playful amusement in the actions—the aggression is unfamiliar to strangers, however, who flee the pool, and the lifeguard blows her whistle insistently, glaring purposefully at the two boys as their fighting comes to an end.

Keith sends a tiny splash in Lance's direction, glancing around and seeing that the pool is noticeably empty. All the tension that once existed between the pair has melted into nothingness, and Keith is able to smile freely for the first time that day.

"You're evil," Lance remarks, splashing him back. "How dare you scare innocent families from this public pool?"

"You started it." Keith smirks. "Let's just admit that we're both evil."

"I surrender." Lance throws his hands up, propelling himself backwards with a lazy kick. "So...um, are you...are you doing anything later?" It's hard to miss the forced nonchalance in his tone, and the thinly-veiled anxiety underneath. This catches Keith off-guard, the gears in his brain turning to work out an appropriate response.

"M-me?" Keith splutters, studying his hands beneath the light blue water as he spreads his fingers like starfish. "N-nothing...why?"

"I don't know...in case you wanted to hang out...just you and me."

Keith's chest feels constricted at these words, his every breath becoming difficult. "Y-yeah, okay," he breathes, his head spinning as he stares up at the clouds that float above. "W-we can...I mean...my bike, like...I have an extra helmet today, so—we can ride..."

Their exchange is interrupted by a cheerful Pidge, sprinting up to the two boys and stooping at the edge of the pool. They place two strawberry smoothies by the edge, dangling their feet in the water as their legs swing back and forth. Hunk appears shortly after, beaming at Keith and Lance, who seem to be getting along. Somebody has placed a pink flower amongst the dark waves of his hair—Lance already knows it's the girl at the bar, Shay, who Hunk has been talking about since summer began.

"Dude, she totally has a crush on you," Lance comments with a knowing grin. Hunk just smiles sheepishly, shrugging insecurely. "You should just ask her out! Go for it!"

"I don't know...I mean..." Hunk takes a sip of his drink. "Shouldn't we hang out as friends first? I don't want to rush things."

"I've seen you guys talk for like, a whole hour before," Keith points out. "Lance is right. Just go for it. What's the worst that could happen?"

_If only I could take my own advice_ , Keith thinks to himself, almost laughing at the irony of it.

The day wears on as the four friends sip their drinks, swim, and relax by the pool. It's around three in the afternoon when Pidge decides to head home to finish up chores, and Hunk leaves shortly after to work on a computer project, winking discreetly in Lance's direction.

Climbing out of the pool, Keith faces away from Lance as he towels off, sucking in deep gulps of air as he stares ahead at the brilliant blue sky. The butterflies in his belly haven't subsided their incessant flapping, and being alone with Lance only makes it worse. Grabbing his clothes, he proceeds to go change into something dry. Lance follows afterwards.

Slipping on his shoes, Lance hops up behind Keith as they leave the bathroom, toweling off his hair. "So...where do you wanna go?" he quizzes, staring innocently in his friend's direction.

"I have a place," Keith pipes up. "I ride there a lot when I want to be alone."

"Alright, cool." Lance chews his lip, exhaling a breath he was holding in. Acting natural is proving to be a difficult task.

Lance observes Keith, handling his motorcycle with careful, delicate hands, as one would treat a child. He almost makes a snarky joke that he knows will get under Keith's skin, but finds himself unable to. There's just something strangely alluring about watching Keith so focused and at peace. His damp hair glitters in the sun, and his muscular arms flex with his every movement, exposed through his black tank top. Lance can't tear his eyes away from him.

That is, until he turns around, and the trance is broken. "Okay, so...you need a helmet. I brought an extra, since I thought maybe I was taking Pidge home...then again, I'm not sure how their parents would feel about that."

Lance chuckles at that, his mind wandering to Pidge's kind but overly-concerned parents.

Tossing it to Lance, he secures it over his damp hair, watching attentively as Keith does the same. Taking his seat, he pats the space behind him, smirking at the way Lance scratches at his neck anxiously.

"Just sit. You'll be fine, I know what I'm doing," Keith says in his best reassuring tone. Reluctantly obeying, Lance slides into the seat, keeping a safe distance between the two of them, and places his hands on Keith's shoulders loosely. "There. Are we ready?" he breathes, even his voice trembling.

Laughter spills from the dark-haired boy's lips, and it eases the tension building up in his gut. "No. You have to put your arms around my waist really tight or else you'll fall off. And if you get hurt, your mom will kill me."

Scoffing at this, Lance caves, placing tentative arms around Keith's waist. It's awkward—Keith jumps the slightest bit at the touch, but then they warm up to it, Lance resting his head at the base of Keith's shoulder and sending his heart racing furiously.

"Okay, you ready?" Keith asks him, and Lance nods in confirmation.

Lance flinches as the engine roars to life, clinging tighter to the other boy's waist. The excuse to make contact is nice, inhaling the smell of chlorine and deodorant through Keith's shirt. Letting his eyes slip shut, he squeezes tighter as Keith begins to ease out of the parking lot, calling, "Hold on tight..."

The ride is full of Lance's laughter and excited whoops in Keith's ear, his grip loosening as his confidence grows. Keith rides all the way out into the desert, slowing down as he approaches their destination.

Stumbling off of the bike, Lance paces back and forth across the sand, kicking his sneakers in the dust. "That was incredible," he speaks honestly, hair matted from the helmet but grin as vast as the horizon. Keith smiles fondly at the ground, nodding. "I'm glad you liked it."

Climbing off of his bike as well, Keith removes his helmet and tosses it to the side, shaking out his hair. "So, this is it," he says, gesturing to the small cabin beside them. "Um...you like?"

Stifling a yawn, Lance observes his surroundings, noticing the run-down shack for the first time. "Where are we?" he quizzes, squinting in the sunlight that blazes from above.

"Just...a little place I found." Keith shrugs, attempting nonchalance as he tucks his hands into his pockets. Bracing himself for teasing, he's surprised when Lance laughs, sweeping a hand through his chocolate hair and shaking his head. "I can't believe you found a random shack in the desert and it made it yours. But...it looks pretty nice, I guess."

"You should be lucky. I don't let just anybody in here. And by that, I mean anybody." With a small chuckle, Keith pushes the door open.

"So, I guess that means I'm special?" Lance pipes up.

Unable to turn and face him due to his fiery red blush, Keith shrugs, smiling awkwardly at the sentiment. "I guess so."

Gesturing around the dusty space, Keith flops onto the cot in the corner. "I have water, and like, emergency food...it's just candy and junk. Sometimes I come here when my parents and I fight. And...it's just nice to be alone, sometimes."

Peering around the room, Lance's eyes land upon many items. On the table, there is a shiny knife, wrapped in cloth at the base, along with a thermos and some scattered papers. On the wall there are a couple of posters, but Lance is mostly taken aback by the huge corkboard on the biggest wall, decked out with pictures and post-it notes.

"Oh my god. Keith, you're kidding."

The dark-haired boy's eyes pin Lance from across the room like daggers. "What?"

Erupting into giggles, the lanky boy covers his mouth as he points to the board beside him. "You can't be serious. What is this, a science fiction movie?"

Getting to his feet, Keith yanks Lance away before he knows what he's doing. "Don't—don't look at that, hey—stop laughing!"

Lance just continues to laugh, in between comments about Keith's handwriting and his devotion to unseen creatures. Groaning, Keith sinks down onto the cot again, this time Lance joining him.

"Hey," Keith whines, shoving Lance in playful anger. "I invite you into my sacred space, and you insult me?"

Lance snorts, shoving back with equal force. "'Sacred space?'" he echoes with a snarky laugh, something that should irritate Keith but only makes fondness bloom like flowers in his chest.

"Just shut up, Lance." There is no venom in his tone, however. The tiniest of smiles quirks up at his lips, and his worries begin to fade into the distance.

Flopping backwards onto the cot, Keith lets out a deep sigh. For the first time that day, he is able to breathe freely, even with Lance beside him.

• • •

It's six o'clock now. The two boys still share the narrow space on the cot, remnants of snacks among them. Lance still munches on a twizzler, and Keith sips strawberry iced tea out of a can. All of the awkwardness from before is forgotten, through their proximity and the cliche game they're playing.

"Hey." Lance nudges Keith's side. "Truth or dare?"

"Mm..." Keith considers, weighing his options. "Truth."

Lance points across the room, to the knife that lies on the small table. "Have you ever used that on someone?"

Chuckling, Keith shakes his head. "No way."

"Then why do you have it?"

Sighing deeply, Keith shrugs, staring at the silver blade that gleams in the light. "It was a present from my parents in Korea, before they died. I don't know...it's really weird, but it's the only thing I have that reminds me of where I came from, so..." Yet again, he shrugs. "Knives are pretty cool, anyway. Even though it's a little questionable that their last gift to baby me before they died was a knife, but...who knows."

Lance nods, unsure of what to say as he studies Keith in the dim light. "Interesting."

They exist in a silence for a bit, before Lance nudges him again, letting his hand linger at Keith's side. "It's your turn."

As the dark-haired boy decides on what to ask him, Lance perks up at the sound of a tiny tapping on the window. "What is that?" he inquires in a shaky voice, curling into himself instinctively. The noise grows louder, one tap turning into two, then multiplying into the rushing of millions of drops of water.

Bouncing up from his place on the cot, Lance sprints to the door like a kid on Christmas. "Oh my god. It's raining!" he exclaims, exuberance wrapping his tone in warmth. "It never rains!"

He rushes out the door before Keith can speak, and the dark-haired boy rushes after him, the door creaking on its hinges as he peers out hesitantly. Lance stands perfectly still a few feet away, face tilted upwards towards the gray sky. The clouds pour water onto the dry earth, and the joyful, brunette boy, whose very presence embodies serenity.

Keith is astonished, feeling mesmerized as he takes in the sight before him with timid eyes. "What are you doing?" he asks finally, voice small above the water that falls around them.

Lance turns, wearing a grin that could put the sun to shame. "I love the rain," he says simply.

Lance's happiness holds a force all its own—powerful enough to make Keith's heart do backflips in his chest, and to keep smiling, just for a little while.

• • •

It's eight o'clock. The sky is growing dark, the moon glowing whiter in the fading, ashen sky. The air carries a chill in the wake of the rain, along with the oncoming night.

Watching Lance in the rain only caused new feelings to flood Keith's chest, engorging his heart with ever-increasing adoration for the boy. Lance is similarly restless in the small space, his anxiety skyrocketing every time their eyes meet accidentally—and so he paces the length of the room to ease the tension.

"O-okay, enough," Lance says finally, his confidence shattering into a million pieces. Clenching his fists at his sides, he exhales a shaky sigh.

"Enough of what?" Keith quizzes, shrinking under Lance's fearful gaze. His eyes are like piercing blue crystals, scrutinizing Keith's every movement.

Lance feels like his every breath is being stifled, like there's a crushing weight on his chest that's cutting off his oxygen. Keith stands, and suddenly he's too close—and Lance is too unsure of his own feelings, but it feels so right to be next to him, and he just wants to tuck himself into Keith's arms and forget that his problems exist.

Lance remembers Hunk's blunt advice from the previous week, when he visited him in desperation after he and Keith kissed: _You need to tell him how you feel._ But now he chokes on the simple phrase, his throat clogged with unforgiving anxiety.

"Are you okay?" Keith is gripping his arms, his tone laced with genuine concern. Lance is far from it, his gaze tracing the galaxies in Keith's eyes, deep blue like the night sky, and his delicate lashes, and the crease of worry at his brow...most of all, his gaze lingers on Keith's pale pink lips—lips that he once kissed, his inhibitions fading as the distance between them is only an inch...

But the other boy never meets him halfway.

Backing up a step, Keith shakes his head, staring at his scuffed sneakers.

"I am not kissing you again." His voice is nearly a whisper, riddled with regrets and insecurities.

The only words that appear on Lance's tongue are, "Why not?"

"Why not?" Keith's voice trembles with the magnitude of his sudden anger. "You just...you just expect things to be normal if we keep doing this? I've never felt so complicated. Everyone just...just gets close and forgets about my feelings when it's convenient. Maybe I'm tired of feeling like this."

Something sparks a similar enraged feeling in Lance, igniting a fire of frustration underneath his skin. His fingernails dig into his palms as he curls his hands into tighter fists. "You think _I_ don't feel complicated too?" he inquires in desperation. "Have you forgotten that I have feelings too?!"

"When did I say that you didn't? Jesus, stop blaming me for all of this—"

"Oh, so now I'm blaming you. Nobody gave you an excuse to be selfish."

"How am I being selfish?!" Keith fires back, his gaze still pointed at the floor. His every cell feels like it's been set on fire, his veins coursing with blood that runs blazing hot.

"Not everything's about you just because your parents are dead, okay? We _all_ have problems, so stop pitying yourself and overshadowing the way I feel!"

It's silent. Icy cold regret settles over Lance, and he shakes his head rapidly. "No, I didn't mean—"

"It's fine," Keith snaps, but it's clearly not. "Maybe you're right." Shoving past Lance roughly, he opens the door with a force that shakes the windowpanes. "I'm going."

"Wait—but I—" Keith cuts off Lance's protest with a defeated glare.

"It's not hard to get home from here. Call someone to pick you up."

"Keith—" Lance grabs his wrist gently, flinching when Keith yanks out of his grasp. He holds his dark green jacket in his hands, studying the fabric to avoid eye contact. "Wait...it's cold. You should take this."

Lance tries draping it over his shoulders but Keith snatches it away, pulling it around him as he steps out into the light of the setting sun. There is a roar of his motorcycle, and then he is gone, leaving Lance stranded in the middle of nowhere.

• • •

It's true that Keith puts up a tough exterior. It's been a coping mechanism since he can remember, to dodge the taunting, yelling, and physical violence of foster homes before. But lately, these walls have been lowering—truthfully, Keith is quite sensitive, having been worn thin by the events of his past.

Currently, he is taking out his fury on the punching bags in the basement of his house. The moment Shiro appears in the basement, however, and utters two, simple words: "What's wrong?" Keith bursts into tears, letting the walls of his aggression fall into nothingness. He is no longer immune to his own emotions.

Lance is hunched over in Hunk's car, hot tears dripping into his hands. He doesn't want to talk, not after how badly he messed up—so the radio fills the silence between them. Pulling up in Lance's driveway, Hunk wraps him up into a giant bear hug, automatically soothing his lanky friend. "It's going to be okay. You can fix things. If you really love each other, a little fight isn't a big deal. Okay? I believe in you."

With these encouraging words, Hunk sends Lance off, and he waves as his best friend disappears down the darkened street.

For a while, Lance lingers on the porch, allowing the stars to be his guide as he ponders how to mend the brokenness between them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!!! (^: so I'm going to change Shiro and Allura's relationship in this to a friendship idc if it's a reach I feel uncomfortable shipping it since Allura is confirmed a teen and it feels wrong and I want to remember this fic fondly when it's finished so!!! Bc I care about this so much that's going to happen and I'm going to Make It Work™   
> I hope y'all enjoy this chapter it's a happy one ♡♡♡ thanks for all the reads!!!!!

Keith appears in the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Shiro stares cautiously in his direction, measuring his mood.

"Good morning," he greets the dark-haired boy, who runs a hand through his tangled waves. "Morning," he mumbles in response.

"How are you feeling?" Shiro takes a hesitant sip of his coffee, watching Keith grab two eggs from the fridge, shutting the door with his hip.

"Whatever." Keith shrugs, avoiding Shiro's prying eyes with a soft frown.

"'Whatever'? Am I supposed to forget you crying last night? You never cry."

His hand trembling slightly as he cracks an egg on the side of the pan, Keith simply shakes his head. He keeps his tone level as he watches the yolk sizzle, pushing down the flood of emotions that threatens to spill.

"It wasn't a big deal. I don't wanna talk right now, leave me alone."

Shiro raises his eyebrows, placing his hands up in surrender. "Alright then. But I'm not just going to let you sit around and mope all day. We can go to the movies, that new Spiderman is out..."

Sighing, Keith nods, embracing the excuse to forget about Lance, if only for a couple of hours. "Sure."

• • •

Lance wakes to the snores of his brother Ricky from his air mattress on the floor. Stepping around him, he creeps out of the bedroom, into the hallway where morning sunlight shines.

Peering into the kitchen, Lance finds Stella and Mariana, eating bowls of oatmeal and chuckling over a video on Mariana's laptop. Both girls look up at Lance coming in, surprise dancing in their chocolate brown eyes.

"Lance? You're up so _early_!" Stella exclaims in astonishment, and Mariana nods in agreement. Pushing dark curls out of her eyes, she pipes up, "Mama will make breakfast for you." As if on cue, Elisa rushes into the kitchen, startling at her son's appearance.

"You're up so early, _mijo_ ," she greets him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Are you hungry?"

"No thanks, Mama." He smiles down on his mother, her eyes crinkling as she returns the gesture. "I need to go out."

"Go out?" Elisa peers at the clock in disbelief. "At eight-thirty?"

Gnawing at his lip awkwardly, Lance shrugs. "It's an emergency...?"

Quirking an eyebrow at her son, Elisa is now fully attentive. "What could be an emergency at this time?"

"I know!" Stella blurts out before Lance even has the chance to speak, her hand shooting up into the air. "He yelled at Keith and said bad stuff he didn't mean so now they're both really sad."

Lance spins around in horror, shooting a disbelieving glare towards the innocent five-year-old. " _How_ do you know this?!" he protests, only sighing deeper at her unassuming pout.

"You told Vanessa and I heard you. Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Mariana giggles into her hand as Elisa pats Stella's pigtails, tutting in disapproval. "Alright, _mi amor._ Give your brother his  privacy and his space, okay?" Stella nods obediently. "Alright. Lance...let's talk, okay?"

So they sit out of earshot from the two girls and Lance explains everything—his feelings for Keith, starting from the moment he first realized, and all of the events leading up to that very day, all the while guilt weighing heavily upon him.

"You want to know what I think?" Elisa whispers, her deep brown eyes warming as she places a comforting hand on Lance's shoulder. "You need to use your words. Ease into it—find a way to get his attention and keep him paying attention to you. I know he loves you. I can see it in the way he looks at you, the way your father looked at me when we first met. Love lasts, even when you fight. He may be angry now, but you can make things right. I trust you." Giving his shoulder a final pat, Elisa takes his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Eat something and then you can do what you need to do, okay?"

Lance nods, his heart bursting with love for the woman beside him. "Thank you, Mama," he whispers as they embrace.

"Anytime, _mijo_."

•     •     •

"Did you like the movie?" Shiro inquires as they enter the house, dropping his keys onto the counter.

Keith simply nods, trying yet failing to smile. "It was really good. Thanks for taking me." He slumps onto the couch, the reality of his problems hitting him like a high speed train. "I'm just...going to take a nap now."

Shiro seats himself on the other couch, nodding contentedly as his puff of silver hair falls in his face. "Just let me know if you need anything."

There is a tentative knocking at the door. Shiro and Keith stand simultaneously, but Keith shuts him down with a firm glance. "I'll get it," he mumbles, approaching the door with slow steps.

Upon opening it, he discovers that there is no one there, not even a trace. Instead, there is a tiny cactus in a little brown pot, a note tucked underneath it.

Keith bites his lip, bending and scooping up both items in careful hands. Proceeding into the kitchen, he avoids Shiro's questioning eyes and unfolds the note, eyes scanning the familiar, scribbly handwriting.

_Hey Keith. This is from Lance!!! :^) I figured, maybe you didn't want to see my face, so I wrote a note. I got you this cactus because it's all prickly on the outside, but soft on the inside, just like you. Hahaha! I actually don't know if cacti are soft on the inside, so I don't actually know if this analogy works, haha. But anyway...I'm really sorry. Sorry doesn't even begin to express how sorry I feel...and I want to say that in person to you. I have a lot to say, but it can wait. I hope you know how much I mean it._

_~Lance_

Keith doesn't realize it, but he's smiling—he's smiling wide, cheeks flushed cherry red as he clutches the note. His eyes scan over it repeatedly until the words blur together, and he still smiles, warmth pulsing from his heart to the rest of his being.

_I'm supposed to be mad at him, why am I smiling?_

"Keith?"

Spinning around to face the taller male, Keith blurts out the one thing on his mind: "I have to go see Lance."

"You're not mad at him?"

"Of course I'm mad at him," Keith sighs in exasperation. "But...I...I don't wanna be mad at him forever."

Smiling at the sentiment, Shiro simply nods, taking the cactus from Keith's hands. He tucks the note into his pocket, his fingers brushing over the rough, crumpled paper. Pulling on his sneakers, Keith opens the front door. "See ya later," he mumbles, skipping down the steps and bolting off towards Lance's house.

Keith dashes all the way to Lance's house, and cuts through into his backyard. Hopping up the porch steps, he knocks tentatively on the screen door, his heart racing in anticipation as he shifts from foot to foot.

The door creaks open, a younger version of Lance peeking out. Marco is the spitting image of his brother, except with glasses and bigger eyes. "Hey Keith," he greets the boy who stands before him, opening the door wider and smiling. "What's up? You wanna...talk to Lance?"

Keith nods sheepishly. "I-if that's okay." He has never been so nervous, anxiety washing over him in waves that make him feel dizzy.

"Sure, man. Be right back." The screen bangs closed as Marco disappears, and shortly after, another figure returns, taller and lankier than the first.

Shutting the door behind him, Lance appears in all of his glory, deep-toned brown skin exposed through his shorts and cerulean tank top. His eyes light up as he takes in the appearance of the boy in front of him, his hands trembling in sudden panic.

"Hey Keith," he breathes, tucking his hands behind his back.

"Hi." Keith stares at his ruby red sneakers, feeling any residual anger melt away. "Um. Thanks for the cactus. And the note. It was...r-really...cute."

Lance blushes at the compliment, surprised at Keith referring to anything as "cute."

"Oh...thanks." Lance chuckles nervously. "Anyways, uh..." Scratching at the back of his neck awkwardly, he gathers his words, an immense pressure weighing down upon him. "Listen...I really didn't mean what I said. Like, at all. Your feelings matter. Mine don't. Like...I was super heated, and I was panicking, and I was just saying and doing all the wrong things, and like...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for always screwing everything up. I'm the worst. I'm so...so sorry. You don't deserve any of this."

Keith chews his lip, his heart sinking at Lance's dejected expression, frown lines etched deep into his face. "It's okay," he whispers, unable to find his voice. "I know you didn't mean it. And...you're not the worst. There are no universes that exist where you're the worst. You're not always screwing up. You're talented, and smart, and funny, and kind, and a great friend, and..." Keith trails off, flushing deep red as he realizes how much he has rambled. "But yeah...you're really amazing, or whatever. And your feelings are important. Okay?"

Lance nods, his words escaping him as he asks in Keith's rare compliments, as awkward and abrasive as his tone and body language may be. He knows it's sincere. "Um—thanks," he manages finally, and they exchange an anxious smile, making reluctant, fleeting eye contact.

"Also...sorry for leaving you stranded in the desert."

Lance laughs softly, gravitating closer to him. "It's okay. Hunk picked me up."

"Guess my hideout isn't so secret anymore."

The way Lance smiles down on him makes his limbs turn to jello, full of warmth and kindness. "Guess not."

A breeze ruffles through the trees, filling the gaps of silence between them. Lance feels an overwhelming impulse seize control of his better judgement, and before he knows it, he speaks.

"Okay—I'm just gonna say it," he blurts out. "I really like you. We've been friends since we were nine, but lately I don't even know what to _do_ around you. And like...you make me feel...y'know...like I'm worth something." Taking Keith's hands gingerly, he stares down at their clasped fingers, his expression focused. "And...I don't know, you're like...you're like everything to me. And I just...I hate seeing you sad, and when you smile it's like...it's like nothing is wrong with the world. Dude...I don't know, I just like you a lot and this is probably way too much for you, but I..." Trailing off, Lance lets out a shaky breath, tightening his grasp on Keith's hands.

Keith's eyes widen, warmth flooding throughout his chest. His heart thumps like a drum, ecstatic at Lance's words.

Exhaling a breath he was holding, Keith runs a hand over his face. "Shit, I'm...I'm not used to this..." Sucking in a breath of dry summer air, he starts again. "I—I really like you too, and like...I do stupid shit to impress you, I let you hear about my problems, and getting close to you is...it's just...nice...and...I don't know, this is so fucking awkward...can we just—can we just kiss again?"

Lance laughs breathlessly, relief mingled with happiness that crinkles his eyes and puts tiny dimples in his cheeks. "Sure, but just promise me one thing?" he requests, hesitance still lingering in his voice.

Keith nods. "Okay, anything."

"You'll date me? Like, be my boyfriend?"

Avoiding Lance's gaze as cherry red diffuses throughout his cheeks, Keith nods, squeezing Lance's fingers in a silent assurance. "Okay, sure, whatever," he mumbles, hiding his smile. And then he is swept into a kiss that lights his senses on fire, that turns into many kisses, and everything in the universe is just right.

•     •     •

It's the following morning, and Lance's endless gushing to Hunk shows no signs of stopping. Hunk doesn't mind, however—it's both endearing and relieving to see the two finally together.

Of course, Pidge isn't forgetting about their bet with Hunk, which they have won.

**pidge★彡: hunk you owe me $20**

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): Give me a couple of days okay (Ｔ＿Ｔ)**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: why does hunk owe you money???**

**pidge★彡: whoops. this wasn't meant for the group chat**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: ?????????**

**pidge★彡: hunk and i have a bet. i won.**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: what's the bet?**

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): You and Keith might not like it very much...**

**pidge★彡: it's about when you guys would get together. i said 7 months and i was exactly right. now he owes me money (-: <**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: um..............what the hell???**

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): Sorry dude!!! It was kind of inevitable though...**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: lmao okay if you say so...haha**

**pidge★彡: don't be embarrassed. it was for a good cause (-: < where is keith anyway???**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: tae kwon do practice. he's going to be pissed at you**

**pidge★彡: yup. well worth it too**

Absent from this conversation is Keith, who runs through forms to warm up. He is entirely distracted, however, his thoughts constantly drifting to Lance—his _boyfriend._ Shiro smiled knowingly when Keith told him the previous night, patting his brother on the shoulder. "I'm glad you two worked it out."

Zach wanders in, greeting Keith quietly. He snorts, noticing the tiny smile displayed on his usually reserved features. "What's got you so happy?" he quizzes, studying the dark-haired boy under the fluorescent lights.

"Oh—uh, nothing really," Keith mumbles, turning away so Zach won't see him blush. Eyeing him suspiciously, the taller boy simply shrugs, starting his warm-ups with Keith. "Alright then," he replies in an amused tone. It's clear that he doesn't believe him.

After an intense hour of practice, Keith takes a quick shower, throwing on his change of clothes and tying his hair into a haphazard ponytail. Pulling on his sneakers at the door, he stares at his blank phone screen, awaiting a text from Shiro, who is his ride home.

A pounding on the glass door is what startles him to his feet.

To his complete and utter surprise, Lance stands behind the door, wearing a black t-shirt, galaxy-patterned shorts, and a crooked smile. Keith is blown away by his presence.

Astonishment morphing into happiness, he takes a lengthy inhale to prepare himself before pushing the door open, revealing the familiar tousle of chestnut brown hair, twinkling eyes, and gorgeous, easygoing smile.

"What are you doing here?" Keith inquires, unable to remove the wide smile from his face. "It's so early..."

Shrugging, Lance glances down at the ground nervously. "I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about you," he admits, and Keith feels his face light on fire, flames lapping at his cheeks.

Looking up, Keith shoots Lance an awkward, lopsided grin, and it's so cute Lance feels the shock reverberate throughout his entire body. "Um...you can come in, don't just stand there all day," he breathes.

As soon as Lance steps through the threshold, he has collided with Keith, wrapping his arms around the dark-haired boy tightly and earnestly. A jolt of surprise travels through Keith momentarily before he returns the gesture, sinking into the warm embrace, and Lance's steady arms, arms that could hold the universe. He smells like home, like mint toothpaste and maple syrup and freshly-cut grass. They stay in each other's arms for what feels like forever, not saying anything. Neither of them wants to let go, until Keith realizes Zach's presence in the building. He pulls back ever-so-slightly, smiling shyly up at Lance, whose eyes dance with fondness for the boy.

"That was—really nice," Keith remarks bluntly, tucking a loose lock of hair behind his ear. It's Lance's turn to blush, shrugging as he tries to maintain his suave persona.

"Of course it was. It's me, of course," he jokes, and Keith rolls his eyes as he laughs, resting his head in the crook of Lance's neck like before as they hold onto each other again. Lance can't help but notice that Keith fits in his arms perfectly, like that's where he was meant to be all along.

"You think my hair is pretty?" Keith pipes up suddenly, his breath tickling Lance's skin. The brunette pulls away suddenly, a mixture of surprise and horror playing on his features.

"Wait. Who told you that?" he asks incredulously, and Keith laughs into his sweatshirt sleeve.

"Stella."

Lance swears in Spanish under his breath. "That girl..."

Keith laughs whole-heartedly. "Maybe you shouldn't tell your five-year-old sister your secrets."

Lance groans, palming his face as he shakes his head. "I promise you, I didn't. I was talking to my brother, and she overheard."

Keith tilts his head to the side, an adorably irresistible smile decorating his features. "You didn't answer my question."

Lance focuses his gaze on the dark-haired boy, observing his features for the millionth time. "Well, yeah? Keith, you're beautiful."

_Whoa._

Keith was not expecting that.

"I-I...um—"

"Sorry, dude. Too much?" Lance smiles unsurely, trying to mask how insecure he suddenly feels.

"N-no, I—I just...nobody's ever...ever called me that, before." Keith is crimson red, his face burning hotter than when it's warmed by the sun's rays.

"Oh. Well, they should. 'Cause it's true." Lance offers up a radiant smile that makes Keith's knees grow weak. He grabs Lance's elbows to steady himself, giggling nervously.

"Thank you," he mumbles, truly grateful for the compliment that Lance sends him so effortlessly.

Zach strolls over then, observing their close proximity and lovestruck smiles. Pieces suddenly fit into place.

"So you and Lance, huh?" he pipes up, and Keith shrinks back in embarrassment.

"Uh...yeah," he replies with an anxious laugh. Lance studies Zach through inquisitive eyes.

"I'm happy for you!" Zach continues, a warm smile lighting up his soft features. "You're finally together, _for real._ "

Lance quirks an eyebrow. "For real?"

With a hearty laugh, Zach simply nods. "Keith pretended you were his boyfriend a while back because he was feeling complicated about going on a date with me."

Lance practically shrieks with laughter, while Keith shoves him out the door in humiliation, imploring him to stop laughing. Turning to Zach, he jabs a finger at his chest. "I'm gonna kick your ass later this week, just you wait!" he insists, while Zach bends over in peals of laughter.

"I'm never letting you live this down, dude," Lance gasps through residual laughter. "I didn't know what to say, okay?!" Keith protests in return. Scowling down at his sneakers, he just huffs in frustration, though underneath it all, there isn't a drop of anger within him.

Bidding farewell to Zach, Lance drapes an arm around Keith's shoulders as they venture out into the intense heat. Parked on a bike rack beside the curb is a dark blue bike, the paint chipped and the seat worn. "I know, it's nothing too glamorous," Lance begins, gesturing to the bike with a sheepish smile. "But...I really wanted to see you, and Shiro said that was okay, and I didn't have anything else to pick you up in."

Keith just shrugs, smiling amiably. "That's okay," he admits. "It's perfect."

Taken aback by his words, Lance just grins happily and hops onto the bike, and Keith stands on the back bars, leaning into Lance with his arms secured around his waist.

"Hold on tight!" the brunette boy calls, and he pedals away, racing down the street towards the glittering sun.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!!! So I've edited this to my liking and now I can finally publish the new chapters!!! Thanks so much for all of the reads and I hope you enjoy the updates!!! ♡ ♡ ♡

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: hi there boyfriend**

**Keith: Heyy**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: wanna go get ice cream with me???**

**Keith: Sure.**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: okayyy I'll walk over. see ya in a sec ♡**

Staying true to his promise, there is a knock on the front door a few minutes later. Keith races down the stairs, smoothing down his shirt and shorts, before opening the door.

Keith finds himself facing Lance, who wears a sheepish grin with stars in his eyes, holding a bunch of yellow dandelions in his hands.

"I thought you'd like it—you know," Lance begins, shyness ever-present in his tone and in his awkward stance. "Since you...like dandelions."

Keith smiles awkwardly, strawberry pink dusting his cheeks. "Uh—thanks, I mean—thank you," he says earnestly, taking the bunch from Lance's hands. It's such a sweet gesture, and Keith is so surprised Lance even remembered something so insignificant about him, that all he can do is stare at the bunch of dandelions, warmth curling in his heart.

"Do you wanna walk, or...?" Lance startles him out of his thoughts, and he meets the other boy's quizzical eyes.

Keith nods. "Let's walk."

The dark-haired boy watches their footsteps on the burning hot sidewalk, unsure of what to do or say around the boy next to him. They've been dating for a week and a half, but the new dynamic is still unfamiliar. Lance, on the other hand, keeps sneaking tiny glances at Keith, basking in the other boy's presence.

_I still can't believe Keith is my boyfriend,_ he thinks to himself, feeling a blush paint his cheeks. _I wonder if he would mind if..._

"Is it cool if I like...hold your hand?" Lance asks, his sheepish grin widening as Keith bites his lip, eyes squeezed shut as he nods.

Inching his hand towards the other boy's, Lance intertwines their fingers in a quick but clumsy gesture, securing his grip as he gives Keith's hand a tiny squeeze. Butterflies flow in a wave throughout Keith's entire being, and he hides his face in his hands, refusing to let Lance see his ruby red blush.

"Aw, Keith," Lance pipes up, his tone full of fondness. "You're so embarrassed."

"Shut up," Keith grumbles, but he only moves closer, closing more of the gap between them.

They reach their favorite ice cream shop in no time, and Keith finds he quite likes the way their hands fit together, like puzzle pieces. Neither of them makes a move to tug their hands away, instead proceeding inside without a single word.

They sit at a table in the back. Keith has received his pistachio ice cream and braces himself for the usual teasing, but instead, Lance tilts an eyebrow in his general direction. "Can I try some?" he inquires.

With shock written all over his face, Keith stares incredulously at the other boy's earnest, friendly eyes, and tentative smile. "But you always say—"

"I know, but...I'll give it a try, because I like you. A lot."

Once again a blushing mess, Lance swipes Keith's cup of ice cream from him, taking a small bite of the unfamiliar flavor.

It's strange, but Lance has to admit that it isn't too terrible, sliding the cup back over to his embarrassed boyfriend.

"It's not as horrible as I thought," he remarks, eyeing Keith as he starts to eat it. Shooting him a playful glare, the shorter boy just shakes his head in mock-annoyance.

"Also," Lance begins, reaching for Keith's free hand in the middle of the table. Letting their fingers weave together, he takes a deep breath. "As much as I'd like to be alone with you, my mom wants to have you over for dinner tonight. Because you're 'officially part of the family', or something. I don't get it, it's not like we're _engaged_...anyway so...it's no pressure, you know my family. My dad's gonna be there, too. But it's no big deal. My mom just wanted to make you a special dinner and she's really excited."

"That's way too nice of her, she didn't have to do that," Keith tells him, giving Lance's fingers a gentle squeeze. Taking a bite of his ice cream, he studies the brunette boy's kind, vaguely exasperated gaze.

"She wants you to come over all the time apparently. And we're having this barbecue for my birthday in a couple of weeks, and she wants everybody to come but especially you." Lance chuckles, and his charming smile is contagious to Keith, whose tiny grin brings sunshine to their little corner of the ice cream shop.

"If you ever want to get out of something, just let me know," Lance continues earnestly. "I have a million excuses for you."

"It's okay. I don't mind." Keith shrugs, carefree happiness dancing in his eyes. "I love your family."

The two boys spend the remainder of the hour in the ice cream shop. Still having time to kill, they wander towards the park, where Lance swings on the swings endlessly until Keith practically drags him off. They head towards Lance's house, Keith growing more and more nervous with each step he takes. He rarely sees Lance's dad, whose work is his passion. As nice of a man he is, it's been a while, and there's a new pressure on Keith's shoulders not to mess up in front of Lance's family. It's starting to get under his skin.

Lance takes Keith's hand as he pushes through the screen door on the back porch, sensing his sudden panic. Upon entering, the smell of meat and frying plantains wafts into their nostrils. Elisa cooks diligently, back turned to the two boys, while Stella and Nico dash around the small kitchen in fits of giggles, earning themselves a scolding in Spanish from their mother.

Spinning to face Keith and Lance, Keith prepares himself for Stella's overjoyed greeting. This of course comes as the pair bombard him, hugging his legs with enthusiastic smiles and cheering of his name.

"Hey Keith, me and Stella made a plan, wanna hear it?" Nico pipes up, showing off a grin lacking his two front teeth.

Laughing softly, Keith nods, focusing his attention on the curly-haired pair of kids.

"Can I please be your flower girl, Keith?" Stella interrupts him, training imploring chocolate brown eyes towards him. "Please?"

"Yeah, and I'll carry the rings!" Nico interjects, beaming proudly. Elisa laughs hysterically from her place beside the stove, dark curls framing her face. Turning to face the quizzical couple, she averts her gaze to the children, who stare at her with innocent eyes.

"You two are silly. Nobody is getting married," she laughs, sweeping hair out of their eyes with a delicate touch. "Go on, shoo. Help the twins set the table." The kids bounce away obediently, leaving the three of them alone.

Lance lets his hand fall away from the other boy's, watching as Keith is swept into an embrace. "Oh, _mi amor_ , I'm so happy to see you," she coos, and Lance bites back the urge to roll his eyes. Pressing a kiss to Keith's cheek, she holds him at arm's length, and his heart warms for the kindness of the woman before him, who cares for him more than Shiro's parents ever could. Her smile resembles Lance's strikingly, her beauty only amplified in her son's features.

"Thank you for having me," Keith responds politely. "Need some help with anything?"

Beaming proudly, Elisa simply shakes her head. "So sweet of you to offer, but you're my guest. You relax, okay?"

"Thank you so much." Keith follows Lance out of the kitchen, and he sends a passing wave to Mariana and Marco in the dining room, escaping to Lance's room.

Upon opening the door, however, the pair discover Ricky, lounging on Lance's bed and scrolling absently through his phone. Irritation boiling deep in his gut, Lance sighs, directing a pointed glare towards his complacent brother. "Dude," he begins. "Can you like, leave?"

Exhaling a sigh that rivals his brother's, Ricky just shifts positions on the bed. "Can't you go somewhere else? I'm exhausted."

"This is my room!" Lance whines, irritation coming at full force. "You hardly even live here anymore." Keith opens his mouth to suggest that they retreat elsewhere, but Ricky whacks a pillow in Lance's direction. This results in enraged wrestling, Lance tackling his brother as they yell in a combination of English and Spanish and struggle to shove each other off the bed. Keith watches in horror, up until Ricky lands on the carpet with an undignified thud.

"Fine," he huffs from his spot on the floor. "I'll leave. Sorry about the conflict, Keith." Brushing past the pair on his way out, he leans towards Lance's ear, smirking as he speaks. "Have fun making out, or whatever."

"Shut up!" Lance yelps, feeling his cheeks burn hot. Ricky's chuckles echo down the hallway, until Lance slams the door shut.

Turning to face his boyfriend in the dim light of the room, Lance is able to truly appreciate his appearance all over again—his features are soft, indigo eyes full of the warmth of a subdued fire, and the sleeves of his purple flannel are rolled up, exposing his toned, muscular arms.

"Shit," Lance blurts out, feeling overwhelmed by the other boy's presence as he flops backwards onto his bed. Raking a hand across his face in embarrassment, he huffs quietly to himself.

"What?" Keith replies awkwardly, quirking an eyebrow in Lance's direction.

"Oh shit—sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud," Lance hurriedly explains, grinning anxiously. "Uh—you can sit too, if you want." He pats the space next to him, and Keith sits gingerly, leaving a gap of space between them.

It's silent, the only sounds in the room being Lance's rapid breaths and Keith's deep, even ones, and the rustling of sheets as the dark-haired boy moves closer to his companion, letting their knees bump and their hands brush against each other. A jolt travels underneath Lance's skin, goosebumps cropping up on his arms as Keith lays a hand on his knee, the sensation as delicate as the wings of a butterfly.

"Are you okay?" Keith inquires innocently, noticing the way Lance flushes, gaze directed away from him.

"Yeah, it's just..." He trails off, chewing his lip anxiously. "Sometimes I just don't know what to _do_ around you. Like, you're so..." Sighing, he shakes his head, his nose scrunching up cutely. "I don't know."

It's strange, seeing the normally arrogant, confident Lance resort to shyness, but Keith doesn't mind. He likes to see the person Lance is when they're alone. 

"You don't have to be nervous," the dark-haired boy begins, taking Lance's hand in his free one and intertwining their fingers. "You know...I'm like...the most awkward person in the universe."

Lance laughs softly, the sound blooming warmth in Keith's chest. His cherry red blush only spreads fire on his cheeks as Keith presses a kiss to their clasped hands, in a silent reassurance.

Keith can be sweet when he wants to, even if Lance is the only one who sees it.

There is a faint knocking at the door. Peeking up, Lance calls, "Who is it?"

"It's Mariana," a soft voice answers. "Mama wants to ask you something, Lance."

"Okay!" Lance hops to his feet, darting out the door. He disappears in an instant. The door creaks as Mariana peers around, big brown eyes wide and timid.

"Hey," Keith greets her, flashing her an awkward smile. "Do you need something?"

"Yeah...c-can I ask you...a question?"

"Of course. Come sit." Keith pats the space on the edge of the bed next to him.

Seating herself delicately, Mariana tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "Um...so...h-how did...how did you figure out th-that you like boys?"

Surprised at the question, Keith mulls it over. "Well...in sixth grade, there was a boy in my class, and every time I looked at him...I don't know, I felt weird I guess, so I told Shiro, and he explained to me what I might be feeling. And...ever since then, it's been simple."

Nodding, Mariana stares down at her socks. "Well, I'm fourteen, so I guess I'm not too young," she murmurs to herself. Keith quirks an eyebrow. "Um...so Lance came out when he was thirteen, a-and my mom threw him a huge party. Did you know that?" Keith nods, smiling to himself as he remembers Lance's descriptions of this same party at school the next day. "And my dad like...gave him a hug and said he was proud of him and stuff. I mean...that's a big deal for us. Our grandparents don't know—they'd be, like, horrified. They live in Cuba anyway."

Keith simply nods. They exchange a glance, and he gestures for her to continue. "But, um...m-my main point is..." Trailing off, she inhales a deep breath, a curtain of hair hiding her face. "I-I think I like this girl. A-a lot. And I told her...a-and she said when we start high school, w-we can date. Or whatever." Mariana exhales a shaky sigh, pushing her dark waves back with a trembling hand. She is the opposite of her siblings—quiet, shy, and reserved, rather than loud, social, and outgoing. Keith can definitely relate to that.

"B-but, um...I don't want lots of attention. A-and also...Mama might say I'm too young. To...to have a girlfriend. A-and...I'm scared...that people won't like me because I like girls."

Keith feels his heart fill up with unfamiliar feelings—he can't describe his emotions. He only knows that he wants Mariana to feel safe.

"Here's what I think," he begins, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I think you should tell your parents. But tell them you don't want a huge celebration. Maybe you just want their support, and that's enough." Mariana nods, staring at her hands. They're curled into fists on her lap. "I also think that you should definitely get to know this girl, really well. Sometimes you get crushes and they don't work out. I know, with everything I have, that I want to be with Lance. He is really important to me. I think you should become better friends with this girl first. Then, in a couple of years when you're ready, and the feelings are still there, you two should give it a try. But don't rush. There's plenty of time."

Nodding once again, Keith reaches his final point. "And...if somebody can't handle the way you are, for any reason...they don't deserve you. Shiro has been telling me this since kids in the neighborhood used to bully me. You are something special. Okay? If people don't appreciate that, it's not your fault. Don't worry about people not liking you. At the end of the day, the people who matter the most will stay by your side, and support you. That's all you need."

Suddenly worn out from all of his unusual emotional advice, Keith lets out a deep sigh. Mariana is completely still, staring at her hands. Keith is about to ask her if she's okay when she lunges towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing with all of her strength.

"Thank you," she whispers, warm tears soaking Keith's shirt.

"It's no problem," Keith replies awkwardly, trying his best to return the affectionate gesture. This is all so new to him—but in a good way.

Staring up at him through red-rimmed eyes, Mariana smiles, exposing two rows of blue braces. "Can you teach me tae kwon do sometime?" she inquires, gaze hopeful. Keith returns the brilliant smile.

"Of course," he promises her. "You and I have gotta stick together, okay?"

Her grin only widens. "Okay."

Mariana hurries out of the room with a hand shielding her face as Lance returns, quizzical expression trained on the dark-haired boy. "Is she okay? What happened?" he asks, slightly alarmed.

"Nothing, we just talked." Keith tries to sound nonchalant, but his earnest smile gives him away.

Pursing his lips in mock disapproval, Lance only loops his fingers around the other boy's, pulling him to standing. "Tell me later. My dad's home, and dinner's basically ready."

Outside of the quiet room is the organized chaos of the big family. Bella, the family's dog, dashes up to Keith as he recieves her with open arms, letting her lick his hands with genuine laughter. The clomping of boots on the wood floor distracts Keith from the dog's affection, and he stands as he makes eye contact with Lance's dad, Theo.

"Keith!" he exclaims through his thick accent, addressing the boy he towers over. "Thank you for coming!" Extending his hand, Keith shakes it firmly, staring up at the man's striking features, full of warmth and benevolence. His eyes are ocean blue like Lance's, and his smile is just as wide. Patting Keith roughly on the back, he guides him into the dining room. "Let's eat!"

Stella, Nico, and the twins are banished to the kitchen to eat their dinner, to save room for everyone else at the dining room table. Lance sits beside Keith, his parents across from the pair. He watches Keith eat politely, taking delicate bites of his rice and staring down at the patterned tablecloth. Standing, he announces that he is retrieving more water from the kitchen. Elisa makes purposeful eye contact with her son, jerking her eyes towards Keith.

"Uh—Keith, do you...um, need anything else while I'm up?" Lance inquires self-consciously, feeling his face flush with an all-too-familiar embarrassment.

"No, I'm okay. Thanks Lance," he replies with an awkward smile, returning to his plate. Elisa flashes him a delighted grin, while Ricky snickers into his water glass.

Escaping into the kitchen, Lance sucks in a deep breath, observing his four younger siblings in action. Mariana is scooping herself seconds, always a champion eater, while Marco scrolls through his phone absently and Nico and Stella arm wrestle over something seemingly insignificant. All four kids look up when Lance enters, their undivided attention transferring to him.

"Everything alright? You're looking pale," Marco remarks with a smirk, eyes dancing mischievously through his glasses.

Lance rolls his eyes. "I'm in here to get water. And anyway, what could be going wrong? Mama and Papa have known Keith for years, it's no different."

"It's totally different!" Nico interjects with wide, chocolate brown eyes. "He's the first person you ever brought home! Who cares if you know him! He has to make a good impression on them, now as your boyfriend." Sometimes Lance wishes Nico wasn't so smart and didn't read so many books and internet articles.

"I wanted to be the flower girl so bad!" Stella whines, pouting into her crossed arms.

"Stella, did you seriously think they were getting married? Stop being a dumb kid," Nico says in exasperation.

Slamming her hands down on the table, the tiny girl jumps to her feet, fires flashing in her eyes. "You believed it too!" she shoots back, the temper she acquired from her mother making itself known. Of course, the pair of siblings erupt into fighting, Stella yanking on Nico's hair and the older boy twisting her wrist in a fierce grip. Mariana just sighs and files out of the kitchen to eat in her bedroom as Lance separates the fierce pair. She can't deal with this.

Inside the dining room, conversation is flowing well around the table. Keith discusses the past school year, and his outside activities, and his other hobbies, met with the smiles of Theo and Elisa. It feels natural, like they've had these same conversations every night. In these moments, Keith truly feels like he's part of a family.

Lance returns and they finish the meal, Elisa bouncing to her feet and returning with a giant cake, neatly frosted in chocolate. While Keith gapes at the massive creation, Elisa informs him that she baked it special for him. Keith thanks her profusely, to which she simply laughs and insists that it was nothing.

The family devours the cake in its entirety, leaving only a few crumbs behind. Conversation continues to flow around the table, Stella and Nico bursting in from the kitchen to join the adults. It's after ten o'clock when things start winding down, and Keith decides it's time for him to leave.

"Mama, I'm walking Keith home," Lance announces to the adults that speak quietly amongst each other.

Standing abruptly, Elisa makes her way over to Keith, who meets her halfway in a hug. "Thanks for everything," he says graciously, his heart glowing with warmth.

"Anytime," Elisa answers, and sends him off with her kindest smile. After bidding farewell to the rest of the family, Lance and Keith escape out the back door, skipping down the porch steps into the cool night air.

"Well that went well," Keith remarks simply, letting their hands fit naturally together.

"Are you kidding?" Lance practically screams. "Of course it did. My mom thinks of you as basically the fifth son she never had."

Chuckling, Keith stares at their shoes as they hit the pavement. "This was nice. Really nice." His gaze directs upwards, at the vast skies of glowing stars. "I almost feel like I have to repay them."

Lance scoffs. "Don't be silly. We love you, you don't owe us anything."

Lance practically chokes on air as he realizes what he has said, and Keith freezes at those words, his hand going rigid in Lance's grasp. They've reached Keith's house, filing up the porch steps with a mutual hesitance.

It's silent, aside from the chirping of crickets and the rustle of wind through the trees. Lance chews his lip anxiously as he shifts from foot to foot, and Keith works out how to say what's on his mind.

"Um. You said we..."

His voice trails off into nothingness, and Lance nods, his reply just as soft. "Yeah...I did."

Clearing his throat, Lance wrings out his nervous hands, avoiding Keith's gaze. "I don't know if it's too soon to say this, but—I-I've known you since forever a-and—you know, I—I..."

_Just fucking say it Lance._

"I—I love you Keith."

_Shit. Why did I say that?!_

His heart accelerating to match the speed of light, Keith exhales a shaky breath. "Yeah. Cool," he murmurs, feeling his entire body burn with heat. "I-I mean—you too. I love you too, or whatever."

Lance breathes out a laugh, relief and dizziness flowing through him. "Or whatever," he repeats back in a teasing tone, closing the distance between them.

"Jesus, okay—you just had to be an asshole and ruin the moment," Keith whispers in annoyance, but Lance's gentle grin is contagious—and then the space between them disappears as they are locked in a kiss, the universe perfectly aligning to connect them in this one moment.

Separating, Lance and Keith gaze upon each other with stars in their eyes. Tucking a lock of hair behind Keith's ear with a feather light touch, Lance steps back, letting the intimate atmosphere dissipate.

"Good night," Keith breathes shyly, as Lance skips down the porch steps and onto the sidewalk.

"Night!" Lance calls in response, blowing kisses in his direction. Keith watches him walk away with bouncy steps, a boy who glows brighter than all of the stars in the universe.

• • •

Of course, as soon as Keith is able to collect himself enough to go inside, his phone buzzes with a text.

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: thank you soooo much for helping mari. she told me everything. that was super sweet of you ♡♡♡**

**Keith: It was nothing.**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: no, it's not nothing!!! seriously, thank you. i'm so lucky to have someone as amazing as you ♡**

**Keith: Ahhhh that's so sappy...but thank you ♡**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: omg keith sent a heart!!! so cute!!! but dude...pls put a cute emoji by your name. you're the only one who hasn't.**

**Keith: Haha sure, okay.**

**Keith(¬_¬): How's this?**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: OMG WHY AN ANGRY FACE?! you're hopeless.**

**Keith(¬_¬): Thanks. I love you**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: twice in one night!!! omg you're my favorite. good night, i love you a lot ♡**

**Keith(¬_¬): I love you too ♡**


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sappy birthday chapter (^:

Stirring the ingredients around the pot, Hunk sprinkles a garnish into his soup. Beaming proudly at his creation, he steps back, wiping his hands on his apron. He has definitely outdone himself.

Outside, there is the distant roar of a motorcycle that approaches his house at a rapid speed, before it cuts off abruptly. Hunk is puzzled only momentarily before there is a soft knock at the door, and he dashes to get it, knowing exactly who it is.

The door swings open, revealing Keith in ripped black jeans, ruby red sneakers, and his signature crimson jacket. Removing his helmet, he runs a hand through his tousled dark hair, smiling sheepishly. "Uh, hey Hunk," he greets his friend, a twinge of nervousness in his tone. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course!" Hunk replies with an inviting smile. "Come on in, buddy." Keith steps inside, automatically enveloped in the aroma of spices and the warmth of simmering food. Shrugging off his jacket, he drapes it on a hook next to the door.

"Want some soup?" Hunk offers, gesturing to a tall silver pot on the stove as Keith enters into the kitchen. Keith starts to refuse, but Hunk continues, "There's plenty, there'll be leftovers for days."

"Well, okay, sure," Keith agrees with a tiny laugh.

A few bites of delicious soup later, Keith meets Hunk's chocolate brown eyes, filled with warmth and friendliness.

"So what's up?" he inquires.

Fiddling with the gloves on his hands, Keith stares down at the table to avoid eye contact. "Well...I-I just...Lance's birthday is soon and...I wanted to, y'know...ask your advice on what to get him."

Chuckling softly to himself, Hunk simply nods. "Did you have anything in particular in mind?"

Keith shakes his head as strawberry pink begins to flood his cheeks. "No...I...I just wanted it to be special since...y'know..."

Hunk laughs quietly once again. "I got you, dude. But I know that whatever you pick, Lance will love it. Because above everything else, you're what's most special to him, so he'll appreciate the gesture."

Keith nods, face flushing even further. "Thanks Hunk," he murmurs, taking another tentative bite of his soup.

Hunk's parents work late, so Keith is able to stay until after nine. They sit on the living room floor as they brainstorm ideas together, simultaneously watching Mean Girls on the TV. Given the opportunity, Keith freely talks about Lance as Hunk listens attentively. Even though Keith isn't talkative at all, he expresses lots of feelings he hasn't talked about with anyone before—particularly his insecurities in their relationship. These are mostly related to initiating physical contact, and comforting Lance when he is anxious or upset. Hunk answers his questions honestly and with understanding, even though he isn't very experienced in relationships himself.

"And remember, Lance is a simple guy," Hunk remarks after they have crafted a decent list. "You don't need to do anything over the top. Like I said before, he'll just be happy that you wanted to do something special for him."

Keith smiles earnestly, nodding as he collects his things. "Thanks for all of this, Hunk."

"No problem, buddy." Hunk returns the warm smile. "Hey, do you want to help me cook for Lance's birthday? I know he's spending the day with his family, but I already talked to his mom and she's okay if I make dinner and a cake for him at night. Maybe you can bring your present early and help?"

"Oh yeah, of course," Keith agrees, tone laced with hints of excitement. "I'd love to. Anyway, I'd better get going. Thanks again for everything, Hunk."

Departing with an embrace, Keith leaves with the roar of his motorcycle, and Hunk watches him fade into the distance, inhaling the dry air of the summer night.

• • •

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANCE!!!*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･***

**Keith(¬_¬): Happy birthday ♡**

**pidge★彡: happy birthday lance, how does it feel being one year closer to death? (-: <**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: thanks you guys (^': even you pidge**

**pidge★彡: hahahahaha**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: so i've been made aware of a gathering at hunk's house later? at seven? i'll try not to eat too much w my fam today in preparation**

**Hunk(ᵔᴥᵔ): You better not! But enjoy yourself today (-:**

**Lance٩( ᐛ )و: thanks!!! anyway love you guys and i'll see you later ♡♡♡**

Setting down his phone, Lance heads into the kitchen, immediately swept up in a whirlwind of family members firing birthday wishes in every direction. His little siblings hug his legs and the twins call him old, while Elisa wipes tears from her eyes as she studies the boy who has grown so quickly right before her eyes.

They all sing happy birthday and present Lance with two heaping plates of breakfast, which he of course devours as his family chats happily around him.

Nico and Stella present him with a card complete with layers of glitter glue and crayon scribbled all over, but it's heartfelt all the same. Everybody else presents him with a small gift—Mariana gives him a tiny bi flag, Marco gets him a new pack of UNO cards, Ricky gets him a face mask, and Vanessa gets him a t-shirt and scented lotion. Last but not least, Elisa and Theo lead Lance to the backyard, where a brand new electric blue bicycle awaits, a bright red bow taped to the side.

"I know it's probably not much," Theo begins to explain rapidly. "But...you know if we could afford a car for you, we would—"

"Papa, please," Lance interrupts, staring up at his remorseful sapphire eyes. "This is perfect. I love it! I don't even want a car. This is all I need. Thank you, so much."

He wraps both of his parents in a tight embrace before they can protest, and they return the gesture, hearts swelling with pride for their son.

Elisa cooks a feast for Lance and the rest of the family, not hesitating in the slightest to indulge her son. Lance eats until he is beyond stuffed, and then he, Ricky, Mariana, and Nico head to play video games in the basement. After an hour or so, Nico runs off to play with Stella, and Mariana retreats to heat up some leftovers.

Now older siblings alone, Lance and Ricky's conversation takes a turn in a different direction.

"So...do you know what Keith is getting you?" Ricky questions in a vaguely mischievous tone. Rolling his eyes as his attention shifts away from the game, Lance shrugs. "No idea," he replies, attempting to keep his tone casual. Ricky has always been the sibling, besides Vanessa, that he has been able to talk about relationships with, considering he was three years older and loved by girls everywhere. However, Lance has never gotten to the point of actually being in a relationship, so this felt like new territory to cross in their conversations. Flirting with girls was one thing, but having a boyfriend was another.

"How's...Olivia or whatever her name is?" Lance throws in, hints of embarrassment blooming in his chest at discussing Keith.

"Oh, she's..." Sighing in frustration, Ricky runs a hand over his face, free hand operating the controls at a rapid pace. "Things were going great, and she was maybe gonna visit this summer, which I thought was good, maybe Mama and Papa would actually believe that I'm in a steady relationship for once...but she's been all weird lately. I don't know."

"Maybe you should like...communicate how you feel more? Maybe she might feel more comfortable with you."

Ricky nods. "Yeah, that is true...Lance, you're so lucky. I can't believe my seventeen-year-old brother is already in a steadier relationship than I've ever been in."

With a semi-smug smile, Lance just shrugs. "I know, right?"

Shoving his brother in the shoulder, Ricky scowls in half-genuine jealousy and half-playful amusement. "Hey. Shut up," he scolds, and Lance returns the gesture until they are stuck in a stalemate. Lance wouldn't trade his siblings for the world.

• • •

Keith arrives at Hunk's house at six o'clock to help cook. Inviting him inside, Hunk gives Keith the task of boiling water for the spaghetti. Meanwhile, Hunk goes and begins making the cake, stirring the batter while simultaneously preparing the vegetables for the pasta.

"Do you want to help make the sauce?" Hunk inquires as Keith adds the spaghetti into the boiling water. Nodding, the dark-haired boy follows Hunk's lead, tying an apron around his waist and getting to work chopping tomatoes.

It's a little bit after seven when there is an enthusiastic knocking on the door. Letting a diligent Keith continue his careful frosting of the cake, Hunk races to get the door, throwing it open to reveal Lance.

The brunette is beaming as he gazes upon his taller friend, who immediately sweeps him up into an earnest embrace, squeezing him tightly.

"Happy birthday bud," he sings, letting Lance's gasping laughter indicate that he should let him go.

"Thanks Hunk!" Lance replies with a dazzling smile as he regains his composure. Fixing his hair out of anxious habit, his sapphire eyes glimmer with hopefulness. "Is Keith here?" he questions a bit too eagerly, before tucking his hands into his shorts pockets and feigning nonchalance. "Uhhh..."

Chuckling in a good-natured manner, Hunk beckons his friend inside, tucking him under a muscular arm. "Yeah, he's in the kitchen."

Lance finds Keith wearing a bright yellow apron, dark locks pulled back into a messy bun where loose waves frame his face. He is humming softly, dragging an oddly sharp knife across the top of the cake with intense focus as a layer of cerulean frosting smears in a neat line. Hunk has disappeared, leaving Lance to pipe up with an awkward, "Hey."

Startled, Keith stops everything he is doing and looks up, strawberry pink immediately flooding his cheeks. "Oh. Hey Lance," he replies, obvious excitement seeping into his tone. They meet halfway, unsure in their movements for a second before Keith leans in, boldly, pressing a brief kiss to Lance's lips. Feeling more confident as Lance's grip on his t-shirt tightens, Keith lets their lips meet again, this kiss much more prolonged than the last.

They are quiet for a moment after they separate, before Lance whispers, "You look so dorky in that apron."

"Oh my god—shut up," Keith huffs, feeling flustered as Lance erupts in a fit of giggles at his expense. "I'm just kidding," Lance breathes out between laughter. "I mean, mostly. It's cute."

Dismissing this remark with a scowl, Keith shakes his head, brandishing the blue-frosted knife as he gets back to work. "I'm not cute. I'm intimidating," he insists, secretly relishing in Lance's compliment.

"If you say so, babe."

Pidge wanders in a moment later, donning their signature pigtails and overalls. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Lance McClain," they tease, smirking in the brunette boy's direction. "Happy birthday, dude."

Dinner is all finished a few minutes later, and Keith, Lance, and Pidge take their seats at the table as Hunk unveils his creation—spaghetti, vegetables, and fish. Despite being made out of ordinary ingredients, the flavors are exquisite, and the friends devour their meals at incredible speeds.

"Hunk, you've outdone yourself!" Lance exclaims as he places his fork down on his empty plate. "Seriously though, this is like, your best yet." Hunk grins at the compliment, offering his humble thanks. "People would kill for a meal this good," Lance continues for emphasis. "Remember...that restaurant offer still stands."

Hunk and Lance have a pact that if Hunk ever opens a restaurant, he and Lance can be business partners. It's been years since they proposed this plan, but the older they get, the more serious Lance becomes.

"I've gotta figure out what I'm going to study," Hunk admits sheepishly. "I mean, like...cooking is my passion, but so is chemistry, you know?"

"You'll find a way to do both." Lance nods with utmost confidence.

After their meal, they sit in a circle on the living room floor, Uno cards spread out before them. An intense game begins, kicked off by Pidge's immediate betrayal of Hunk, to which the boy cries out in pain, feeling wounded by their satisfied smirk. Pidge and Hunk learn that Lance and Keith are no less competitive towards each other, despite their relationship status—playful arguments quickly turn into real ones, only diffused by Keith working himself up into a coughing fit. At this, Lance immediately drops everything, rushing to Keith's side with an arm secured around his shoulders. "It's okay babe, just—breathe," he says in the calmest voice he can manage, concern and guilt decorating his features as Keith uses his inhaler. "I'm sorry. We don't have to play anymore."

After this, it is collectively decided that the safest activity for everyone is for Lance to open his presents.

"I'll go first!" Hunk pipes up, leaving briefly to retrieve his gift before returning with an intricately-wrapped object, handing it to Lance with an eager smile.

"Part of your gift was dinner and the cake, but I couldn't just do that by itself," Hunk points out as Lance tears into the wrapping paper with an almost cruel slowness. Finally unveiling the gift, it turns out to be the original Star Wars trilogy, one of Lance and Hunk's all-time favorite series since they were little kids.

"Oh my god!" Lance exclaims loudly, his gleeful grin lighting up the room. "Hunk, this is _awesome_ , thanks buddy!"

Before Lance can tackle him with a hug, however, Hunk insists he read his card. Opening the card to reveal his friend's intricate, neat handwriting, Lance clears his throat and reads the note inside out loud: "Happy birthday to my best buddy. I can't believe I've known you for a whole decade! I hope you love your gift and it makes you super happy because you deserve to be happy. Love, Hunk." Wiping fake tears from his eyes, Lance finally delivers his embrace, pouring his heart out into the gesture.

Next is Pidge. Their gift to Lance is in a paper shopping bag—"Matt wouldn't drive me to the store to get a real gift bag, sorry," they explain with a shrug. "But I spent three days on this, so you'd better like it." Of course, Lance doesn't mind at all, instead marveling at what Pidge has given him—it's a tiny blue robot lion, and a remote control allows it to take wobbly steps forward across the living room.

"Pidge, I swear you're the smartest person I know, and you're not even fifteen yet," Lance gushes, admiring their rare humble attitude. "Thank you so much." 

Inside of their card, Pidge has scrawled a brief but meaningful message: "Happy birthday to someone who is so much like a brother to me. You're going to do great things in your life and this is just one step closer. Love, Pidge."

Pidge is reluctantly wrapped into a crushing hug as well, but they accept the affection anyway.

Lastly is Keith, who suddenly feels the pressure of giving Lance his gift. Directing a panicked glance towards Hunk as the room's attention shifts towards him, Keith stands, wiping his sweaty palms on his shorts.

"Uh...I've gotta go get it," he informs Lance, grateful for Hunk's encouraging smile out of the corner of his eye.

Lance's present is too big and impossible to wrap, so it is hidden away in Hunk's bedroom. Emerging with unsteady footsteps, Keith travels the short distance down the hallway, peering into the living room and meeting Lance's expectant ocean eyes.

"Okay, here it is," Keith mumbles awkwardly, feeling his heart hammer against his chest as he steps out of the doorway—and there it is, a giant, electric blue stuffed shark, almost as tall as Pidge, in Keith's arms.

"Holy shit!" Lance screams, startling everyone. Bouncing to his feet, he sprints over to Keith, eyes as wide as planets. "This is _so_ badass. Where did you even find it?! You know what, actually, don't even tell me. It's so fucking cool. You got me my favorite animal! I love it. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, I'm glad you like it," Keith replies with a sheepish grin, his heart feeling overjoyed. "Um, also..." He slips his card into Lance's hands as they take their seats again.

Pidge and Hunk silence their laughter at the pair's antics as Lance tears open the envelope, unearthing a card with a smiling dog on the outside. Opening it to Keith's messy, anxious handwriting, he takes a deep breath as if to start reading, but the dark-haired boy blurts out in a panic, "Don't read it out loud!"

Pidge groans from across the room, tugging on their pigtails in indignance. "But I was so curious," they sigh, their tone wistful. Noticing Keith's ruby red blush, Hunk simply pats their shoulder. "Ignore Pidge," he says in a reassuring tone. "It's something personal, and I totally understand that." Hunk stands, beckoning Pidge to follow him in a subtle gesture. "Come help me cut the cake." The pair file out of the room, leaving Lance and Keith alone.

Gripping the card in nervous hands, Lance reads the words carefully.

**Happy birthday Lance! I'm sorry I'm so bad with words but I just wanted to say...I'm so happy to know you. You're my favorite person and I hope we can spend our birthdays with each other forever. I love you and I hope you had a great birthday. ~Keith**

When Lance looks up, he feels the heaviness of tears weighing down his eyelids, raw emotion glowing in the core of his being. Keith is still flushed with embarrassment, indigo eyes avoiding Lance's. The note was sweet. It was beyond sweet, actually. It was beautiful. Beautiful just like Keith, whose eyes dart to meet Lance's, just for a moment, connecting them in a shared understanding.

 _Have I ever felt so strongly about anyone ever before now?_ The thought echoes in Lance's mind over and over again, fading into a blur as they kiss, the atmosphere dizzying and wonderful at the same time. _I guess this is different. I've never been in love before now._

• • •

It's a little after eleven when the small party disbands. Matt picks up Pidge at ten, despite their complaints, and Keith and Lance stay and watch the rest of a movie with Hunk, until Keith sees the time and nudges Lance's side. "I should go," he whispers.

"I'll leave too," the brunette replies, his voice laced with sleep.

After thanking Hunk profusely again, Lance gathers up his gifts in his arms, wondering how he is going to fit them on the back of his bike. Hunk offers to deliver his gifts to him the following day to make things easier, and Lance thanks him again before departing for real.

Watching Keith's silhouette as he descends the porch steps into the night air, Lance gets an idea.

"Hey Keith," he pipes up, his voice barely above a whisper. Turning to face the brunette, whose eyes glint with deviousness, he lifts an eyebrow. "What?"

"We should go swimming."

Keith just blinks, not registering. "What?"

"I want to go swimming. At the pool. Right now."

Keith just shakes his head with a sigh. Lance can be truly unbelievable sometimes. "It's eleven o'clock. It's closed."

Pouting, Lance takes Keith's hands in a loose grip, pulling him towards his bike as he speaks. "It doesn't matter. They leave the gate unlocked. _Please_ come with me? It's my birthday, I wanna do something that I've never done before."

Keith weighs the option of doing something potentially illegal with his boyfriend vs. going home and sleeping for twelve hours, and of course chooses the former. He'll never admit it, but he's way too soft to deny Lance anything.

"Okay. Let's go." Lance lets out a little cheer, bouncing on his heels with excitement, but Keith cuts in, "On one condition. You have to race me."

Despite the fact that it's obviously a joke and it's completely illogical, Lance hops on his bike in an instant. "Oh it's on!" Before Keith can react, he pedals away as hard as he can.

Keith drives super slow to the pool just to give Lance the satisfaction of winning. Parking his motorcycle, he follows Lance to the gate, which is, to his surprise, unlocked.

The pool glows softly from the white lights within it, illuminating the darkness around them. Lance is already removing his shoes and socks, and then his t-shirt, and then his shorts, leaving him only in his boxers. Keith removes his socks and sneakers and sits by the edge, dipping his legs into the cool water.

Lance pauses momentarily, before flipping into the pool with a loud splash. Keith watches his blurry figure beneath the water, before he emerges, shaking out his hair.

A tranquil silence exists between them. Living in a small, secluded town near the desert allows for minimal light pollution. Lance floats on his back, gazing at the dazzling stars in the sky. Keith can't take his eyes off of him. It's not fair that Lance is so beautiful, the moon reflecting on the water unable to rival the brightness of his smile and the softness of his laugh. It's not fair that Keith has so much love in his heart.

"Hey Lance," Keith begins, shyness seeking into his tone. Flipping back upright, Lance directs his attention towards the dark-haired boy, admiring his effortless beauty in the light. "Um...can you come here? I just...had something else to give you."

Swimming over, Lance finds Keith's hand outstretched, a small object glinting in his palm.

Lance shakes his head, anxious feelings swirling around in his belly. "Keith...you've done enough for me, you don't have to give me anything else. You helped Hunk cook, and you gave me a shark, and you've been a great boyfriend, and that's all I need."

He offers the boy a small smile, so earnest in his words and in his simple gesture. Keith is overwhelmed by his presence.

"No, I...I want to give this to you. Th-this was the other part of your present. I was too nervous to give it to you until now. Uh..." Keith trails off, and Lance hoists himself out of the pool, seating himself next to Keith as he hands him the gift.

"I know...this is stupid, because we've only been together for like a month, but...I feel like being so close before validates what we have now, and makes it something deeper...and I hope you feel that way too, so..."

Lance stares at the shiny object that now rests in his hands. It's a tiny, sapphire-colored crescent moon on a thin, silver chain. For probably the hundredth time that day alone, Lance's heart beats harder in his chest, spreading warmth down to his fingertips.

"It's not stupid," Lance replies softly. "And I do feel the same..." Clipping it around his neck, he runs his fingers across the smooth surface of the pendant absently. "This is so special. Like...just being with you is enough for me. So...thank you for this. It's beautiful."

They exchange a kiss, Keith pulling back with his nose crinkled and a tiny smile. "You taste like chlorine," he murmurs, and Lance just laughs.

"Alright, well I'll make it even then," he whispers in response, and before Keith can prepare himself, Lance shoves him into the pool, submerging him in rushing water.

"Oh my god, you asshole!" Keith screams as he pops back up to the surface. Yanking Lance back in by his leg, they chase each other around the pool, splashing and laughing. This lasts until Keith pauses, breathless, his hair dripping with chlorine-filled water.

Lance freezes in his spot, swimming over to Keith and helping him to sit up by the edge.

"You need your inhaler?" he asks, and Keith simply nods, letting Lance dash away to retrieve it as he struggles to catch his breath.

"Are you getting sick again?" Lance inquires hesitantly, as Keith rests his head on his shoulder in sudden exhaustion.

"I'm okay. I'll rest tomorrow," he answers.

A plane rushes by above. Lance sighs, the sentiment reverberating through them both. "I miss Cuba," he breathes. "I miss the ocean."

Staring at the pale blue water beneath them, Keith shivers, hugging Lance's waist tightly. "Do you feel like you're home when you're there?"

"Kind of," Lance begins, "but not fully. I mean...home is where I find the people I love. So even though we live in the middle of nowhere...it's not too terrible being stuck here."

Keith smiles at the sentiment.

"But I still miss it. We haven't been since Nico was a baby. It's expensive. But like...I don't know. I just wanna go back."

They remain in the relative quiet for a bit longer, before Lance realizes it's almost midnight. "I should go home," he points out.

They depart with a prolonged embrace. "Thanks for making this my best birthday so far," Lance whispers. Keith just clutches him tighter. "You're welcome."

With the roar of his motorcycle, Keith speeds away. Lance hops on his bike and follows, pedaling away into the peaceful night.


End file.
